SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 03/14/17 Anaheim Ducks 1052613 What we learned from the Ducks' 5-2 victory over the 1052655 Avalanche’s Matt Duchene on his slump: “It’s pretty crazy Capitals in terms of how bad it’s gone.” 1052614 What we learned last week in the NHL 1052656 Avalanche shut out in Arizona despite Calvin Pickard’s 1052615 What you need to know: Longtime Ducks titanic twosome performance sinks NHL-leading Capitals 1052657 Smith sets Coyotes' shutout record in win over Avalanche 1052616 Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry surging for Ducks as season gets serious Columbus Blue Jackets 1052658 Blue Jackets: Murray has surgery, out 4 to 6 weeks 1052659 NHL | Blue Jackets 5, Flyers 3: Jackets struggle with 1052618 Arizona Coyotes’ Mike Smith sets franchise shutout record penalties but get record 44th win in win over Colorado Avalanche 1052660 Quincey steps into spotlight as Blue Jackets visit Flyers 1052619 Offseason plan key to Arizona Coyotes' Tobias Rieder's continual success Dallas Stars 1052620 Arizona Coyotes' Shane Doan missed start of game after 1052661 Even if Stars are in no man's land now, they don't want warm-up collision rest of season to 'dwindle away;' here's why 1052621 Coyotes’ rookie class is producing points 1052662 Tyler Seguin to donate ball hockey court to Boys and Girls 1052622 Shane Doan returns after colliding with Coyotes teammate Club of Collin County in warmups 1052663 Dallas Stars’ Benn calls downturn ‘embarrassing’ after 5-1 loss to Sharks 1052664 Dallas Stars come off beating to face motivated Edmonton 1052624 Brad Marchand hat trick rallies Bruins past Canucks in rough road trip 1052625 Austin Czarnik is chasing NHL traction 1052626 On a quest for NHL’s best ramen, getting there wasn’t any Detroit Red Wings fun 1052665 No firm plan yet to auction seats at Joe Louis Arena, 1052627 Brad Marchand’s hat trick leads Bruins past Canucks Palace 1052628 Bruins notebook: Peter Cehlarik returns to lineup after 1052666 Red Wings eye lineup flexibility, may not call up two-game break defenseman 1052629 Bruins need a win in trip opener in Vancouver 1052667 Miscues too often put Red Wings behind eight ball 1052630 Marchand has hat trick in 3rd; Bruins roll past Canucks, 6- 1052668 Red Wings' Anthony Mantha out to prove benching was 3 mistake 1052631 In-game changes, 'tinkering' have been a Bruins constant 1052669 Larger than life Gordie Howe statue unveiled at Hockey in winning stretch Hall of Fame 1052632 Haggerty's Morning Skate: Pastrnak in line for big contract 1052670 Red Wings follow familiar script with self-inflicted mistakes Buffalo Sabres Edmonton Oilers 1052633 Eichel looks for more success as he goes West 1052671 Dan Barnes: Oilers need steady hands on the wheel in 1052634 Sabres Notebook: Reeling in Sharks has been easy rough water fishing 1052672 Draisaitl looking to step up his game for Oilers stretch 1052635 Quick update from San Jose: Fasching gets the call drive 1052673 Veterans telling fellow Oilers to enjoy the bumpy ride Calgary Flames 1052674 Game Day: Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars 1052636 Streaking Flames host Crosby & Co. in marquee matchup 1052637 Perfect 10: Flames beat Penguins 4-3 in shootout to tie Florida Panthers franchise streak 1052679 Slumping Florida Panthers will be without Aaron Ekblad 1052638 Flames centre Sam Bennett showing scrappy side during due to concussion offensive slump 1052680 Star defenseman is out with concussion so Florida 1052641 Gulutzan on Pens: “They know who we are now, too" Panthers rookie gets his shot 1052681 Preview: Panthers vs. Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday 1052682 Panthers' Ekblad and Malgin out 7-10 days with 1052642 Hurricanes spoil Isles' homecoming with 8-4 win concussions Los Angeles Kings 1052643 Blackhawks sign Anthony Louis to two-year deal 1052683 Kings’ hopes of reaching the playoffs suffer a blow 1052644 Blackhawks want rookie John Hayden to bring physical 1052684 Kings rookie Paul LaDue making the most of his presence opportunity to play 1052645 Tuesday's matchup: Blackhawks at Canadiens 1052685 Kings Notes: Playoff chase has a few new faces in the mix 1052646 How Johnny Oduya could be big boost to Blackhawks' 1052686 Kings lose to Blues, fall five points behind in playoff race kill 1052687 Kings’ playoff chase has a few new faces in the mix 1052647 A heal-good story: Darling returns early for Blackhawks 1052688 It wasn’t exactly win or go home and make plans for that 1052648 Yale’s Hayden makes smart move to join Hawks, pass on off-season golfing or fishing trip free agency 1052689 MARCH 13 MORNING SKATE NOTES: QUICK 1052649 Hayden brings confidence to Chicago Blackhawks EXPECTED TO START; MCNABB BACK IN? 1052650 Darling excited for swift return to net 1052690 MARCH 13: REIGN GAME BREAKDOWN 1052651 March Madness hits Blackhawks 1052691 A “must win” game for a team with scant margin for error 1052652 FIVE THINGS TO WATCH: CRAWFORD, BLACKHAWKS 1052692 March 13 morning skate quotes: Brown, Lewis, Muzzin VISIT PRICE, CANADIENS TONIGHT ON CSN 1052693 Game 68: Los Angeles vs St. Louis 1052653 BLACKHAWKS' BRIAN CAMPBELL ASKS CSN'S DAVID 1052694 March 13 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter KAPLAN FOR HELP ON NCAA BRACKET 1052695 March 13 postgame quotes: Kopitar, Doughty 1052654 JOHN HAYDEN EXCITED TO JOIN BLACKHAWKS, 1052696 March 13 postgame quotes: St. Louis SCOTT DARLING CLEARED TO RETURN 1052697 March 13 postgame notes Minnesota Wild Philadelphia Flyers 1052698 Martin Hanzal expected to miss last two games of road trip 1052730 Thriving in Columbus, Sam Gagner holds no grudge 1052699 Wild-Washington game preview against Flyers 1052700 Wild, Capitals in danger of losing footing in conference 1052731 Manning sidelined for Flyers; Jackets' Foligno might miss standings game 1052701 Charlie Coyle showing some life. Wild hope it’s for real 1052732 Fading Flyers lose to Blue Jackets 1052733 Smallwood: Cycle of losing goes on and on in Philadelphia Montreal Canadiens 1052734 Donnellon: Flyers just are not that talented 1052702 Stu Cowan: It wasn't pretty but Canadiens return home in 1052735 Flyers fall to Columbus first place 1052736 FLYERS: Patience pays off for first-liner Jordan Weal 1052703 Canadiens vs. Blackhawks, 7:30 p.m.: Five things to know 1052737 FLYERS SKATE UPDATE: 4 GAMES INTO RETURN, TRAVIS KONECNY KNOWS HE'S GOT A LONG WAY Nashville Predators TO GO 1052704 Preds top Jets in 1052738 FUTURE FLYERS REPORT: FELIX SANDSTROM, OSKAR LINDBLOM SOON COULD BE COMING OVERSEAS 1052705 Snow could make Tuesday's Devils game very unusual 1052739 FLYERS-BLUE JACKETS 5 THINGS: DEFINITE MUST- 1052706 Why John Quenneville hasn't gotten Devils call up from WIN, BUT PLAYOFFS APPEAR IMPROBABLE Albany 1052740 Power play fails fading Flyers again in loss to Blue Jackets 1052707 Devils injuries: Updates on Michael Cammalleri, Jacob 1052741 Instant Replay: Blue Jackets 5, Flyers 3 Josefson, Devante Smith-Pelly 1052742 Flyers' disastrous road trip an opportunity lost in wild-card 1052708 What Devils will do for Tuesday's game vs. Jets in event chase of snow 1052743 3 things to watch in Game 68: Flyers vs. Blue Jackets 1052709 Devils have high interest in St. Lawrence defenseman 1052744 Konecny puts loss on himself, but power play goes cold Gavin Bayreuther, report says 1052745 Pending free agent Weal proving he can play in NHL 1052710 Devils Q&A: Miles Wood on rookie season, what he still wants to improve Pittsburgh Penguins 1052711 Devils practice today, await snow tomorrow 1052746 Crosby, Malkin score in Penguins' shootout loss to Flames 1052747 Penguins notebook: Cullen misses 4th straight game Islanders 1052748 Penguins starting to find rhythm on penalty kill 1052712 Islanders Rookie Josh Ho-Sang Is Playing With a 1052749 Penguins recall Josh Archibald from Wilkes- Veteran’s Poise Barre/Scranton 1052713 Hurricanes break out for eight goals as Islanders drop first 1052750 Newly acquired Frank Corrado tries to settle in with Baby game back home, 8-4 Penguins 1052714 Islanders don’t see any trace of brat in phenom Josh 1052751 Penguins lose, 4-3, to Calgary in shootout Ho-Sang 1052752 The healthy Penguins aren't helping with the team's injury 1052715 Islanders totally collapse in embarrassing loss to problem Hurricanes 1052716 Islanders getting desperate to solve their goalie problems San Jose Sharks 1052717 Islanders’ Johnny Boychuk misses fifth straight game 1052753 Joe Pavelski named NHL’s First Star of the Week 1052718 Goalies Thomas Greiss, J-F Berube have rough night in 1052754 As ninth round draft pick, Jannik Hansen’s in select Isles’ unhappy homecoming company 1052755 Jannik Hansen has spent career defying odds, breaking New York Rangers barriers 1052719 Lightning Edge the Rangers at the Garden 1052756 THREE TAKEAWAYS: MARTIN IMPRESSING ON 1052720 Brayden buries Rangers as Lightning strikes SHARKS BLUE LINE; FINDING NEMO Madison Square Garden for 3-2 win 1052721 Why Martin St. Louis wasn’t surprised to get a recent call St Louis Blues from Rangers’ Derek Stepan 1052757 Blues get Stastny, Parayko back for key showdown with 1052722 Rangers can’t break through and have real Garden Kings problem 1052758 'It's huge': Blues earn pivotal win over Kings 1052723 Rangers could get this key piece back from injury by 1052759 Success at even strength tells story weekend 1052724 Jesper Fast might return to action this weekend from Tampa Bay Lightning shoulder injury 1052760 Namestnikov feels 'lucky' injury wasn't serious 1052725 Steven Kampfer has first as a Ranger in loss to 1052761 Maple Leafs selling ticket price hike as good news for fans Lightning at MSG 1052762 Lightning's Vladislav Namestnikov makes quick return from injury 1052726 Defensive standout Tom Pyatt rewarded with Senators starting assignments 1052727 Senators winger Mark Stone will remain on sidelines 1052728 Senators' Stone out 'week to week' with leg injury 1052729 Anything but flashy, Pyatt brings shutdown prowess to Senators' lineup Toronto Maple Leafs Winnipeg Jets 1052763 Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers: Tuesday NHL 1052779 All-but-dead Jets now in show-and-tell mode preview 1052780 Calder Trophy debate: Will East Coast bias hurt or help 1052764 Leafs’ Matthews hits Florida in cold snap Auston Matthews? 1052765 Maple Leafs' individual stats taking backseat to playoff 1052781 Trouba out for Jets vs Predators push 1052782 Jets fall to Predators in OT 1052766 Calder Trophy debate: Will East Coast bias hurt or help 1052783 Five keys to Jets vs. Devils Auston Matthews? 1052767 Maple Leafs know fans will pay up 1052768 The Toronto effect: Does playing for the Maple Leafs help SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 or hurt Auston Matthews’ Calder Trophy candidacy? 1052769 Life and death: Toronto Maple Leafs’ Brian Boyle has seen plenty of both 1052784 Bruins 6 Canucks 3: It's 2011 all over again as Marchand trolls Vancouver 1052785 Drew Shore set to seize his Denver dream with Canucks audition 1052786 The Provies: Henrik’s take on the luxurious D, Willie’s concession and closure on One Man vs an Army 1052787 Canucks Post Game: The wild Marchand winner, the Granlund debate, the Shore debut 1052788 MacIntyre’s 3 thoughts: Haters, hitters and poetry in motion 1052789 Canucks Game Day: No Swiss miss for Shore, no false playoff hope, no player shutdown — yet 1052770 Fourth down: Capitals now focus on rebounding from rare losing skid 1052771 Alex Ovechkin’s goal drought reaches a career-long of 10 games 1052772 Ducks send slumping Caps to 4th straight loss 1052773 NHL-best Capitals ‘slapped in the face’ by 4 straight losses 1052774 Blue Jackets’ Ryan Murray out 4-6 weeks with broken hand 1052775 Capitals ‘slapped in the face’ by four straight losses 1052776 NHL POWER RANKINGS: CAPS GO COLD IN CALIFORNIA 1052777 PREDICTION RECAP: ALMOST EVERYTHING GOES WRONG FOR CAPS IN ANAHEIM 1052778 BRUCE BOUDREAU: 'IT'S TIME' FOR WILD AND CAPS TO GET DIALED IN Websites 1052790 FOXSports.com / Two Coyotes teammates were involved in a violent collision before game 1052791 FOXSports.com / The most annoying ‘unwritten rule’ in every major sport 1052792 CNN/Sports Illustrated / At just 20 years old, Connor McDavid easily earning role of Oilers' captain 1052793 .ca / Trade rumours long gone, Dougie Hamilton shines on Flames’ top pair 1052794 Sportsnet.ca / Down Goes Brown Weekend Wrap: Are the streaking Calgary Flames for real? 1052795 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers leaning on veteran experience in final playoff push 1052796 Sportsnet.ca / Frederik Andersen talks early struggles, Maple Leafs rookies 1052799 Sportsnet.ca / What it’s like to play in a hockey game with eight overtime periods 1052800 Sportsnet.ca / Former Oilers star Ryan Smyth injured by ‘dirty’ elbow at Senior AAA game 1052801 Sportsnet.ca / Report: Maple Leafs increasing ticket prices in effort to hurt scalpers 1052802 TSN.CA / 5 Minute Abbs: Canucks vs Bruins 1052803 TSN.CA / Matthews thinking smaller amid scoring slump 1052804 TSN.CA / Addition of Golden Knights curbs appeal of tanking 1052805 TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week 1052806 TSN.CA / Andersen helps Leafs earn desperately needed two points 1052613 Anaheim Ducks

What we learned from the Ducks' 5-2 victory over the Capitals

Curtis Zupke

The spirit of 2007 was alive and well. And so was Corey Perry. On a night the Ducks celebrated the 10th anniversary of their 2007 Stanley Cup win, remaining ’07 member Perry further picked himself up from a season-long scoring funk. He scored two goals in a 5-2 win against the Washington Capitals, and the Ducks got terrific games from Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kesler and Rickard Rakell. Here’s what we learned: Perry’s emergence could mean a lot Until recently, the Ducks’ offense rested primarily on the shoulders of Rakell and Kesler’s line. But the long-awaited awakening of Perry, a former 50-goal scorer, would balance out the lineup more. Separated from usual partner Getzlaf since mid-February, he’s on a line with Antoine Vermette and Nick Ritchie. “It’s got to be big,” Getzlaf said. “It’s big for our group, when we see him doing his thing out there and playing the way he is. It’s the right time of year. It’s a good feeling to have, and it makes our team very dangerous out there.” Getzlaf’s passing is on point He delivered a backhand tape-to-tape pass to Kesler on a rush on Perry’s second goal. Getzlaf has been dishing like that for a few games, coincidentally since Patrick Eaves joined the team and became Getzlaf’s linemate, along with Rakell. Getzlaf went through a scoring funk earlier this season, but his assists have been steady. If the Ducks can get Getzlaf and Perry clicking, it will ease scoring pressure throughout the lineup. The Ducks kept their composure All the combustible elements were there: The Capitals were at the height of frustration in losing four games straight in regulation for the first time since Oct.26-Nov.2, 2015. Alex Ovechkin reached a career-high 10 games without scoring a goal. It came to a head in the second period. Kesler went after Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom, which forced a confrontation with Tom Wilson. Washington’s Daniel Winnik later received a 10-minute game-misconduct penalty, presumably for mouthing off. It was the type of game that would have induced the Ducks induced into distraction earlier this season, but they’ve learned. “Obviously the emotions were high out there, and I think there was a lot of hate,” Kesler said. “It’s good getting the two points tonight. “I think if we play that way, we can play with anyone in this league. I think we know that. We have to play that way every night.” LA Times: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052614 Anaheim Ducks

What we learned last week in the NHL

Helene Elliott

Lessons learned from the last week of play in the NHL: ►The Capitals have come down to Earth Coach Barry Trotz called the feeling “awkward” after his team fell to the Kings on Saturday for its third straight loss in regulation. The Capitals’ 5- 2 loss to the Ducks on Sunday gave them their first four-game losing streak in regulation since Oct. 26-Nov. 2, 2014, and created enough concern for players to call a postgame meeting. “Any adversity is a good thing if you use it the right way. If we’re good enough to be a championship team, we will get through this,” goaltender Braden Holtby told the Washington Post. Their defensive-zone play has gotten sloppy and their offense has stalled: They’ve been held to two goals or fewer in six straight games, the first time that has happened since early in the 2006-07 season. Alexander Ovechkin is experiencing a career-worst 10- game goal drought and hasn’t scored an even-strength goal in 18 games, since Jan. 31. Did the Capitals peak too early, or can they turn this around and enter the playoffs on a roll? ►They’ve got a secret Among the most interesting items from last week’s general managers’ meetings was their stated opposition to revealing their respective protected lists for the expansion draft that will stock the Vegas Golden Knights. Why not make the lists public? Are they afraid players would be insulted to learn they weren’t protected? Players are big boys, and many have gone through salary arbitration, where clubs emphasize players’ faults. To reveal the lists would enable fans to become emotionally invested in the draft and produce great drama. But this is the same league that won’t officially list teams’ payrolls, another topic of great interest. The meetings produced no news on NHL players’ participation in the Olympics in February in Pyeongchang, South Korea. “Unless something changes, we’re not going,” Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told reporters. Knowing the NHL’s hard-line bargaining style, it’s very possible Daly’s comment was intended to pressure the International Olympic Committee to pay travel and accommodation costs, and maybe give the league some kind of financial compensation for interrupting its season. One decision that will take effect next season makes sense: Teams coming off their bye week will face each other when they resume play, leveling what has been an uneven playing field. Teams coming off byes to face teams that weren’t resuming after time off were 8-14-4. Also, 15 teams will have the same bye week and the remaining 16 will have their break the following week. ►Bad timing for Lundqvist, New York Rangers Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist was projected to be out two to three weeks because of a hip muscle strain, an injury he sustained sometime while he made 43 saves Tuesday in the team’s 5-2 victory at Florida and earned his 404th career NHL win, 10th all-time. Backup Antti Raanta is capable, but Sunday was the start of a two-week stretch for the Rangers that included four back-to-back sequences. Third-string goalie Magnus Hellberg, summoned from the , has never started an NHL game. That might change soon. LA Times: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052615 Anaheim Ducks - Ducks center Antoine Vermette played his first game since serving a 10-game suspension for hitting an official with his stick. Vermette logged 17:04 of ice time and went 10-for-21 in the faceoff circle. What you need to know: Longtime Ducks titanic twosome sinks NHL- THE DRESSING ROOM leading Capitals - “I thought we were playing really well. We were getting pucks to the net. We were getting traffic. We were limiting our turnovers and that’s what March 13, 2017 Updated 1:10 p.m. you have to do. Especially against a team like that that can turn the puck up and have a transition game.” – Corey Perry By ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER - “I think we all try to lead by example out there. It might not show on the scoresheet all the time but it did tonight.” – Ryan Kesler ANAHEIM – Here’s what you need to know about the Ducks’ 5-2 win - “We got a couple connections out there. It was fun to get out there and over the Washington Capitals on Sunday night: just play. I thought our team did a great job of staying focused on the task tonight. Coming out and playing the way we did.” – Ryan Getzlaf THE GAME IN 140 OR LESS - “We did play an energized game. I felt it right from the opening faceoff - Over a focused 60 minutes, the inspired Ducks thoroughly out-skated that we had our legs underneath us and we were engaged in the game. and out-played the NHL’s top team that’s looking sluggish these days. We knew we had to play a skating game against a hockey club of that caliber. We were able to find a way. We ground some goals out and then THE QUOTE our power play delivered.” – Randy Carlyle - “If we play that way, we can play with anyone in this league. I think we THE KEY STATS know that. We have to play that way every night. Stay consistent. I think that we’re striving for. Consistency.” – Ducks center Ryan Kesler - Ten different Ducks had a plus rating on their even strength shifts. THE PLAYER - Ryan Getzlaf had a goal, two assists, a plus-2 rating and won 10 of 15 faceoffs. - Corey Perry. Goals aren’t coming in bunches the way they used to for the longtime scorer but they did Sunday. Perry scored twice and now has - Josh Manson led the Ducks with four blocked shots and had three hits three in his last three games. The winger also fed Ryan Getzlaf with a in 17:06. perfect cross-ice pass for a power-play goal in the third. - Nate Thompson had four hits to lead the Ducks, three shots on goal THE MOMENT and won eight of 13 draws. - Perry intercepted Lars Eller’s ill-advised pass in the Washington zone - Rickard Rakell had three shots on goal, including his team-leading 29th and took an open lane to the Capitals’ net, waiting for goalie Braden goal. Holtby to lung forward to the ice and wrapping the puck around him to kick off the scoring. - Brandon Montour had two shots on goal and a plus-2 rating. THE THOUGHT - The Ducks blocked 20 of Washington’s 71 shot attempts. - The last time in this space was about John Gibson and his health being - John Carlson put four of his nine shot attempts on goal and scored his essential in any long-term prospects the Ducks have this season and that seventh of the season. remains a legitimate question as it appears Gibson came up lame after making his start in St. Louis following a six-game absence. From the - Tom Wilson had a team-leading five hits but also took two minor second half of last season to the first half of this one, Gibson managed to penalties. stay healthy and took his game to a higher level in January. Now it’s - Evgeny Kuznetsov had an assist but only put one of his 10 shot again about the lower-body issues that he’s dealing with, a problem that’s attempts on goal. popped up in past seasons. At the very least, they can affect his explosiveness in net. The fear is that it becomes a big problem. You have - Alex Ovechkin had an assist and four shots on goal in 19:03. to hand it to Jonathan Bernier, who appears to be thriving with the more work he’s getting. And he’s rewarding the Ducks’ faith in seeing him as a THE RECORD top-notch backup they can feel comfortable starting in a playoff game if - 36-23-10 (22-8-3 at home, 14-15-7 on road), second place in Pacific Gibson is somehow not available. Meanwhile, it’s clear that Ryan Getzlaf Division has turned up his game and Corey Perry has now joined him. The two had a massive night in front of their 2007 Stanley Cup teammates. And THE NEXT ONE they, directly or indirectly, responded to owner Henry Samueli playfully (or not-so-playfully) imploring those players to spread some of their - The Ducks play the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday at Honda Center at championship “fairy dust” onto the current club. When it comes to the 7 p.m. “Twins” playing at a high level, whatever works is fine. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.14.2017 THE TREND - The Ducks, who have two games left on their current homestand and eight remaining at Honda Center, are 5-1-0 in their last six at home and 12-4-1 in Anaheim since January 1. THE NEWS - John Gibson did not dress as he has a lower-body injury that Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said is different from the muscle strain he had that kept him out of six straight games before playing Friday at St. Louis. Jhonas Enroth was brought back from San Diego (AHL) to back up Jonathan Bernier. - Ryan Kesler hit two benchmarks this season. He scored his 20th goal to do that for the ninth time and third consecutive in his three seasons with the Ducks. Kesler also reached the 50-point mark for the fifth time. - Nick Ritchie returned to the lineup after missing two games due to “whiplash” symptoms that Carlyle said occurred when the second-year left wing was hit during last week’s home game against Nashville. - Washington’s Kevin Shattenkirk began serving a two-game suspension Sunday for leaving his feet and charging into Kings defenseman Kevin Gravel on Saturday night. 1052616 Anaheim Ducks “He’s a professional. Not a real flashy guy but he comes in and he works. And he’s a great teammate.”

MR. 400 Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry surging for Ducks as season gets serious Carlyle got his 400th NHL coaching victory Sunday, joining 35 others who have reached that milestone. He has 309 of them with the Ducks, By ERIC STEPHENS where each win adds to his franchise-best total. 2017-03-13 19:35:23 “I didn’t really recognize it until the other night,” Carlyle said. “It’s always nice but it’s a team accomplishment. I’m just very fortunate to be able to work that long in the league and to have coached some great players and good teams along the way.” ANAHEIM – The Ducks are in a battle with Calgary and Edmonton for positioning among the three automatic playoff spots that will come out of Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.14.2017 the Pacific Division. They’re also trying to keep first-place San Jose somewhere within their viewfinder. And with just 13 games left in the regular season, it means that each one takes on an increased amount of significance. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry seem to be raising their games to meet that. They struck for three points each Sunday in the Ducks’ 5-2 win over Washington, and their outburst continues a recent uptick for the longtime stars. Getzlaf, in particular, has surged over an extended period. In his last 13 games, Getzlaf has five goals and 12 assists. A 60-point season – or even a 70-point year – doesn’t seem as far-fetched now. “I definitely feel like it’s time to turn it up and play a little bit better,” Getzlaf said. “Trying to work on those things throughout the season and get better as we go along.” Perry’s goal-scoring issues have been well-chronicled, and the lengthy runs he’s had in the past have been nonexistent this season. But the winger scored twice Sunday and has three goals in his last three games. A more consistent Perry in the offensive end would be an encouraging sign for the Ducks in their push for a playoff spot they expect to secure. “It’s big for our group when we see him doing his thing out there and playing the way he is,” Getzlaf said. “It’s the right time of year and it’s a good feeling to have. Makes our team very dangerous out there.” And the winger himself is experience a surge of confidence. “The chances have been coming,” Perry said. “Pucks are starting to follow me around. It’s all about going to get it. Moving my feet and playing my game.” SLUMP SNAPPED Ryan Kesler broke out of an offensive funk with a big game against Washington, scoring his 20th goal and getting three points to reach 50 for the fifth time in his career. Until he scored off a pass from Jakob Silfverberg in the third period, Kesler had gone 11 games without a goal. He also had only three assists over that span. “Obviously there’s times where you think you should score," he said. "Especially my line, we’ve been pushing for awhile here. And we hadn’t had the puck luck. “It’s nice. Our line needed that one. Obviously we started strong and we slowed down a bit but I think that’s a big goal for our line.” Kesler also reached the 20-goal mark for the ninth time his career. He’s done it in all three seasons with the Ducks. “It’s obviously a milestone,” Kesler said. “Individually, I think all of us in here are going for a bigger prize than that. Saying that, team success helps individual success. You got to thank the people around you for that.” BUSIER BERNIER After stopping 25 shots on Sunday, Jonathan Bernier was selected as a second star in the NHL’s weekly top player honors. Bernier went 3-0-0 last week, posting a 1.62 goals-against average and .948 save percentage. Bernier had a 43-save shutout of Chicago on Thursday and could keep the net for the foreseeable future if John Gibson continues to battle lower-body injury issues. Gibson played Friday in St. Louis but Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said he learned Saturday his goalie would not be able to play against the Capitals. “Goaltending in the league is based upon everybody wants to have two that they can rely on,” Carlyle said. “And we have two that we can rely on. He’s just further deepened our trust in what he brings to the game night in and night out. 1052617 Anaheim Ducks Carlyle got his 400th NHL coaching victory Sunday, joining 35 others who have reached that milestone. He has 309 of them with the Ducks, where each win adds to his franchise-best total. Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry surging for Ducks as season gets serious “I didn’t really recognize it until the other night,” Carlyle said. “It’s always nice but it’s a team accomplishment. I’m just very fortunate to be able to work that long in the league and to have coached some great players By Eric Stephens, Posted: 03/13/17, 9:40 PM PDT | Updated: 2 hrs ago and good teams along the way.” LA Daily News: LOADED: 03.14.2017 ANAHEIM >> The Ducks are in a battle with Calgary and Edmonton for positioning among the three automatic playoff spots that will come out of the Pacific Division. They’re also trying to keep first-place San Jose somewhere within their viewfinder. And with just 13 games left in the regular season, it means that each one takes on an increased amount of significance. Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry seem to be raising their games to meet that. They struck for three points each Sunday in the Ducks’ 5-2 win over Washington, and their outburst continues a recent uptick for the longtime stars. Getzlaf, in particular, has surged over an extended period. In his last 13 games, Getzlaf has five goals and 12 assists. A 60-point season – or even a 70-point year – doesn’t seem as far-fetched now. “I definitely feel like it’s time to turn it up and play a little bit better,” Getzlaf said. “Trying to work on those things throughout the season and get better as we go along.” Perry’s goal-scoring issues have been well-chronicled, and the lengthy runs he’s had in the past have been nonexistent this season. But the winger scored twice Sunday and has three goals in his last three games. A more consistent Perry in the offensive end would be an encouraging sign for the Ducks in their push for a playoff spot they expect to secure. “It’s big for our group when we see him doing his thing out there and playing the way he is,” Getzlaf said. “It’s the right time of year and it’s a good feeling to have. Makes our team very dangerous out there.” And the winger himself is experiencing a surge of confidence. “The chances have been coming,” Perry said. “Pucks are starting to follow me around. It’s all about going to get it. Moving my feet and playing my game.” Ryan Kesler broke out of an offensive funk with a big game against Washington, scoring his 20th goal and getting three points to reach 50 for the fifth time in his career. Until he scored off a pass from Jakob Silfverberg in the third period, Kesler had gone 11 games without a goal. He also had only three assists over that span. “Obviously there’s times where you think you should score,” he said. “Especially my line, we’ve been pushing for a while here. And we hadn’t had the puck luck. “It’s nice. Our line needed that one. Obviously we started strong and we slowed down a bit but I think that’s a big goal for our line.” Kesler also reached the 20-goal mark for the ninth time his career. He’s done it in all three seasons with the Ducks. “It’s obviously a milestone,” Kesler said. “Individually, I think all of us in here are going for a bigger prize than that. Saying that, team success helps individual success. You got to thank the people around you for that.” After stopping 25 shots on Sunday, goalie Jonathan Bernier was selected as a second star in the NHL’s weekly top player honors. Bernier went 3- 0-0 last week, posting a 1.62 goals-against average and .948 save percentage. Bernier had a 43-save shutout of Chicago on Thursday and could keep the net for the foreseeable future if John Gibson continues to battle lower-body injury issues. Gibson played Friday in St. Louis but Ducks coach Randy Carlyle said he learned Saturday his goalie would not be able to play against the Capitals. “Goaltending in the league is based upon everybody wants to have two that they can rely on,” Carlyle said. “And we have two that we can rely on. He’s just further deepened our trust in what he brings to the game night in and night out. “He’s a professional. Not a real flashy guy but he comes in and he works. And he’s a great teammate.” 1052618 Arizona Coyotes “I said, ‘We could put another player in if he’s not going to play,’” coach Dave Tippett said. “‘But where are we?’ They said, ‘We’ll let you know in a few minutes.’ I said, ‘The game’s starting in a few minutes.’” Tippett, Arizona Coyotes’ Mike Smith sets franchise shutout record in win over ultimately, decided not to scratch Doan. Colorado Avalanche “When I went to him and talked to him before the game, I said, ‘How you doing, Doaner?’” said Tippett, who explained he hadn’t seen a situation like this in his 33 years in the game. “He said, ‘I’m good.’” Sarah McLellan , Published 9:51 p.m. MT March 13, 2017 | Updated 2 hours ago With about 6:30 remaining in the first period, Doan returned to the bench and after going for a skate during an ensuing TV timeout, he took his first shift with 5:54 to go in the period. Coyotes goalie Mike Smith didn’t know he was within reach of the record “It was a little different,” he said of joining the action late, “but I felt great. I before the season started. was fine after.” “I don’t really keep tabs on that kind of stuff,” he said. Once at full strength, the Coyotes seemed to find their stride in the second period and they also were mostly in control during the third with But Smith was well aware that he was closing in on the milestone during Smith making 12 saves in the frame – his most out of any period. Monday’s game against the Avalanche and when time ran out, preserving a 1-0 win for the Coyotes at Gila River Arena, Smith was glad “The way he plays, he’s special,” Doan said. “He’s as athletic and as to finally be the franchise’s shutout leader with 22 clean slates. capable as any goalie in the NHL. When he’s on, I’d put him against anybody.” “To get that many shutouts with one team is a pretty cool achievement,” he said. “I played with a lot of different teammates throughout my time in The win was also Smith’s 127th with the franchise, which moved him into Arizona here, a lot of special people that (I) will be friends with for a long third place after he tied Khabibulin at 126 Saturday. time and deserve a lot of credit with this, too. You can’t get shutouts alone.” Although his individual statistics are far below current league leaders (he’s 18-20-7 with a .914 save percentage and 2.93 goals-against Smith made 23 saves to surpass Nikolai Khabibulin and Ilya Bryzgalov average), this has been a steady season for Smith. He’s been mostly for sole possession of the shutout record after tying the two Feb.13 healthy after missing about a month early with a left MCL sprain – this against the Flames. It was Smith’s third shutout of the season and 33rd after he lost approximately three months last season to undergo core- of his career. muscle surgery. “To be honest, it’s bittersweet,” he said. “You’d like to be in a playoff spot Since taking care of that, he’s appeared to find a relatively consistent right now. These personal achievements don’t mean much to me. groove and adding these accolades during this season when he’s Looking back on my career when I’m done, I’ll probably cherish them a seemed to enjoy a bit of resurgence is appropriate. lot more than I do now. It’s special but bittersweet when you’re on the outside looking in.” “He’s been kind of the backbone here for a long time now,” Tippett said. “So it’s fitting he gets those accomplishments.” The Avalanche made a late push to spoil Smith’s bid late in regulation with a shot in-tight from center Nathan MacKinnon a close call, but Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.14.2017 Smith’s night was relatively routine compared to his counterpart at the other end of the ice. Colorado goalie Calvin Pickard was spectacular amid a 34-save effort. “Pickard made some unbelievable saves,” Smith said. Winger Brendan Perlini accounted for the lone goal, a blistering wrist shot from the left side off the rush at 3:49 of the second period for his third goal in as many games and longest goal streak of his career. “Just shooting the puck,” he said. “Trying to get as many pucks on net. Hopefully some go in.” Arizona had many more look that could have widened the gap. Just in the second period alone, the team put 19 pucks on net. About five of those shots came during one sequence with three different players getting shots off. Pickard’s best stop of the game came later in the period when he got across in time to get a pad on a one-timer from winger Tobias Rieder off a 2-on-1 rush that was set up by Perlini. RIEDER: Offseason plan key to Rieder's continual success “We had probably three or four really good quality chances that could have kind of put the game out of reach, but you gotta give their goalie a lot of credit,” captain Shane Doan said. Doan was actually a late arrival to the game after colliding in warm-up with defenseman Jakob Chychrun. The Fox Sports Arizona broadcast showed Doan circling the Coyotes' zone before skating along center ice and looking slightly behind him as he passed defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson before crashing into Chychrun. Both players fell to the ice with Chychrun's helmet flying off. Doan wasn't wearing a helmet. “I didn’t know it was him that hit me,” Doan said. “I was looking back at ‘O’ and got hit. I had no idea who it was that hit me. It was one of those ones I haven’t been hit that hard in a long time.” Doan immediately tried to get up but stumbled a bit before getting to his feet. He appeared to catch Chychrun's left shoulder square in the chest. “I got the wind knocked out of me, and that doesn’t feel very good,” he said. “But that was about the extent of it. I was fine.” After doctors saw the incident on video, they wanted to put Doan through concussion protocol. 1052619 Arizona Coyotes That value has made him an integral cog in the Coyotes’ operation and although the team has suffered this season, Rieder hasn’t – another step of progress in his NHL career he’s been able to recognize. Offseason plan key to Arizona Coyotes' Tobias Rieder's continual “Obviously, you want to do well with the team,” he said. “Since this year success has been kind of frustrating, you still try to grow as a player and I think I’ve made a move forward this year and now it’s just trying to keep building on that.” Sarah McLellan , azcentral sports Published 8:07 p.m. MT March 13, 2017 | Updated 3 hours ago Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.14.2017

Coyotes winger Tobias Rieder mixed up his offseason routine one summer while he was in juniors, making a change after he didn’t sense his workouts were very successful. But when he returned for the season, he felt off – like he wasn’t as quick as he usually was. Rieder reverted back to his previous regime and hasn’t strayed from it since. And it’s unlikely he’ll adopt a new plan anytime soon because his training seems to be the appropriate prep for the NHL as he’s been able to score more goals each season he’s played for the Coyotes – a model trajectory for all players that isn’t easy to actually achieve. “Everything has been working out great,” he said. “So I’m kind of afraid if I change something, it won’t anymore.” Rieder established a career-high in goals Saturday when he noticed No.15 in a 5-4 win over the Devils, surpassing his previous record of 14 from last season. He also had 31 points and was on pace to exceed the career-best he set a year ago (37). A handful of those points have come at a different position as Rieder has switched over from the left wing to the right, a change that certainly hasn’t slowed the 24-year-old. “When he’s cutting to the net in the offensive zone, his ability to pull up – he finds a lot more things closer to the net on his forehand,” coach Dave Tippett explained. “When he gets on the left side, he just gets pushed outside. There’s not much happening, so it gives him another dimension when he’s in the offensive zone. There’s always concern on the wall in your own end, but he’s done a pretty good job there, too. It’s been so far so good.” Lining up as a right winger isn’t exactly unfamiliar to Rieder, who played the spot when he was in junior with the in the . That’s where he honed his defensive awareness, especially on the penalty kill, which – combined with his offensive production – makes him one of the team’s more well-rounded contributors. “He’s a smart player,” Tippett said. “He can play in all situations. Just kind of like today’s NHL player. He’s smart. He’s fast. He competes hard – all the above. So he’s had a really steady year, and the last couple weeks have been really good.” And what seems to help equip Rieder to make this kind of impact is how he prepares in the summer. After returning home to Germany once the season ends and relaxing for a few days, Rieder has met up with the German national team to begin preparations for the World Championships in May. When that tournament ends, he’ll take approximately two weeks off before starting his training for the next season in June with the bulk of his work done off skates. “We don’t have ice during the summer in Germany,” he said. Instead, Rieder can be found on a soccer field running springs – of various distances. He also lifts weights and mixes in cardio. His workout partner is Penguins winger Tom Kuhnhackl, who shares Rieder’s hometown in Germany, but the two don’t have a coach or trainer guiding them through these exercises. They push each other, but Rieder is the one who holds himself accountable. “During a workout, I can never say, ‘I’m not doing this today,’ because I would feel bad after,” he said. “I would feel really bad.” With that type of attitude, it makes sense why he’s able to help out in so many different areas on the ice because he’s committed to doing whatever job is assigned to him to the best of his ability. 1052620 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes' Shane Doan missed start of game after warm-up collision

Sarah McLellan , azcentral sports 7:42 p.m. MT March 13, 2017

Coyotes captain Shane Doan didn't join his teammates for the start of Monday's game against the Avalanche after colliding in warm-up with defenseman Jakob Chychrun. Video during the Fox Sports Arizona broadcast showed Doan circling the Coyotes' zone before skating along center ice and looking slightly behind him as he passed defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson before crashing into Chychrun. Both players fell to the ice with Chychrun's helmet flying off. Doan wasn't wearing a helmet. Doan immediately tried to get up but stumbled a bit before getting to his feet. He appeared to catch Chychrun's left shoulder square in the chest. With about 6:30 remaining in the first period, Doan returned to the bench and after going for a skate during an ensuing TV timeout, he took his first shift with 5:54 to go in the period. While he was being evaluated, the Coyotes played with one less skater than the Avalanche as they didn't list Doan as a scratch. Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052621 Arizona Coyotes “Chych is a good example. In junior, he could just take the puck and just keep it as long as he wanted. Now there’s a little better checking, a little better structure against him so there’s some things you have to recognize Coyotes’ rookie class is producing points and adapt to. That’s just getting familiar with the pro game, especially for young defensemen. It’s a harder go for them.”

Tippett said the only way young players get up to speed is through By Craig Morgan | March 13, 2017 @ 10:52 PM experience, citing an example with regard to defensemen. “We ask them to have tight gaps,” Tippett said. “Well, tight gaps against different players are different things. Against a Taylor Hall, you’ve got to GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Coyotes knew this season would be a manage your gap accordingly. There might be another guy that’s a rebuilding year but they were hoping to see growth from their young core. slower guy that you can stay tight on and still get him. You’ve got to The easiest way to measure that growth is in production, and Arizona’s recognize that Hall is a little different animal. So those are the rookies are measuring up well in that regard. experiences that they have to go through. It’s not just black and white every time. They have to go through the experiences so they have the Coyotes rookies have accounted for 87 points this season, the second- knowledge they need moving forward.” highest total in the NHL behind Toronto’s ridiculous 249 rookie points. While there is still plenty to teach and learn, Tippett has seen progress. Cynics might assume that Arizona is getting so many points from its rookies because it is playing so many of them, but only six rookies have “Our young players are contributing which is a big factor for us right now,” played as many as eight games with the Coyotes. That’s the same he said. number as Chicago, which is fourth in the NHL with 82 rookies points, and the Coyotes’ rookie points are more evenly distributed than third- Teams with the best rookie points production place Winnipeg, which has received 60 of its 86 points from Calder Trophy candidate Patrik Laine. 1. Toronto: 249 The top rookie points producers for Arizona are Christian Dvorak (24), 2. Arizona: 87 Brendan Perlini (19), Jakob Chychrun (17), Anthony DeAngelo (11) and 3. Winnipeg: 86 Lawson Crouse (9). 4. Chicago: 82 Perlini scored his 13th goal of the season and third in his last three games in a 1-0 win over Colorado on Monday at Gila River Arena — a 5. New York Rangers: 76 win that also gave goalie Mike Smith (22 saves) the franchise’s career shutout streak with No. 22. 6. Columbus: 74 Perlini’s goal came two nights after the Coyotes got six points from their T-7. Detroit: 61 rookies in a win over New Jersey on Saturday: a goal and two assists T-7. Philadelphia: 61 from defenseman Jakob Chychrun, a goal and an assist from defenseman Anthony DeAngelo and a goal from Perlini. 9. Dallas: 60 Arizona’s rookies have stacked up well against other teams by other T-10. Calgary: 53 measures, too. Perlini’s .302 goals per game represent the fourth-best average among rookies this season behind Laine, Toronto’s Auston T-10. Carolina: 53 Matthews and Pittsburgh’s Jake Guentzel. T-10. New Jersey: 53 Chychrun’s six goals are tied with Boston’s Brandon Carlo for second Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.14.2017 among NHL rookie defensemen behind only Calder Trophy candidate Zach Werenski of Columbus. Only three NHL rookies (Laine, Matthews, William Nylander) have scored more goals than Coyotes rookie center Christian Dvorak (seven) since Feb. 2. “Our talent level is continuing to grow and, in my opinion, it’s going to be at an all-time high here in a little while,” Coyotes general manager John Chayka said. “Talent alone doesn’t win you games. It’s how they come together and support each other, but at the same time, it’s an important component of success in the NHL and I don’t think we have had enough of it in the past.” The Coyotes will have more in the fold next season when Clayton Keller, Dylan Strome and Christian Fischer likely make the leap to pro hockey and/or the NHL. It’s just as exciting for the players as it is for the team’s management and its fans. “I had a similar thing in the OHL where my first year we had probably five or six 16-year-olds,” said Perlini, who played for Niagara. “We knew that team would eventually go on be good and last year we competed for the championship. “We have so many 18-, 19-, 20-year-olds here. It’s not going to be anything that happens overnight. It takes time, but hopefully over the next few years we can progress really well and we’ll be making the playoffs pretty soon.” Coach Dave Tippett believes that coaching, development and training methods for players are far better than they were 20 years ago. For that reason, young players report to the NHL in better shape, and with a better understanding of structure and concepts than they did when Tippett played. It’s one thing to understand what you’re supposed to do. It’s quite another to do at the speed of the NHL game, and against the world’s best players. “They were the best players in juniors so they could get away with stuff,” Tippett said of young NHL players. “Here, you get exploited on that stuff. There’s a fine line of being able to compete at this level. We always talk about keeping percentages in your favor. 1052622 Arizona Coyotes

Shane Doan returns after colliding with Coyotes teammate in warmups

By Arizona Sports | March 13, 2017 @ 7:25 PM

Shane Doan gave his team a scare when he wasn’t on the bench to begin the Arizona Coyotes’ game with the Colorado Avalanche after he collided with teammate Jakob Chychrun in pregame warmups Monday. Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan reported Radim Vrbata was skating Doan’s usual shift, and the team announced he was “being evaluated” before Doan returned to the bench near the end of the first period. He promptly entered the game with six minutes to play in the first. “Got the wind knocked out a little bit,” Doan told FOX Sports Arizona’s Todd Walsh during a midgame interview. “All good.” Here is video of the hit between Chychrun and Doan, the latter of whom got up immediately before leaving the ice. Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052623 Arizona Coyotes

Shane Doan returns after colliding with Coyotes teammate in warmups

By Arizona Sports | March 13, 2017 @ 7:25 PM

Shane Doan gave his team a scare when he wasn’t on the bench to begin the Arizona Coyotes’ game with the Colorado Avalanche after he collided with teammate Jakob Chychrun in pregame warmups Monday. Arizona Sports’ Craig Morgan reported Radim Vrbata was skating Doan’s usual shift, and the team announced he was “being evaluated” before Doan returned to the bench near the end of the first period. He promptly entered the game with six minutes to play in the first. “Got the wind knocked out a little bit,” Doan told FOX Sports Arizona’s Todd Walsh during a midgame interview. “All good.” Arizona Sports LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052624 Boston Bruins trademark dishes between the twins, Granlund finished the approach with a slam-dunk shot to give the Canucks a 2-1 lead.

After the quick flurry, the Bruins committed to being more thorough in the Brad Marchand hat trick rallies Bruins past Canucks neutral zone. “You have a better high forward who takes better angles,” Cassidy said. By Fluto Shinzawa “We talked about that. We just needed to reload better. A couple of those goals, we had the puck. We had the puck or were in the battle for it. We March 14, 2017 assumed we would get it on those undetermined possession ones. All of a sudden, they’ve got it and they’re coming the other way.”

The teams traded goals in the second. Zdeno Chara tied the game at VANCOUVER, British Columbia — Patrice Bergeron winged the puck 13:58, aided by a Jimmy Hayes screen. Edler pulled the Canucks back wide, swooped around the net, and circled back down low to support his into the lead by slipping a shot through Rask at 14:19. wingman. But the Canucks did not have an answer for Marchand in the third period. For once, Bergeron’s assistance was not required. Few teams have been able to slow down the left wing this year. “I was amazed,” Bergeron said. “I was just trying to get out of the way, to “He’ll do that to you,” Cassidy said of Marchand’s one-man attack. “Some be honest with you, after I saw that. nights he’ll try and do it in our end, and it will frustrate you. But trust me, he’s determined. He wants to get better in every area of the game. What Bergeron saw was Brad Marchand score the winning goal in the Specifically with his goal scoring over the years, he’s worked hard on his Bruins’ 6-3 victory over the Canucks on Monday at Rogers Arena, adding game in that area. He deserves to be rewarded.” to his candidacy as the league’s MVP. Fluto Shinzawa Henrik Sedin, one of the most thorough players in the league, tried to pick Bergeron’s wide-left shot off the boards. Sedin is still looking for his Boston Globe LOADED: 03.14.2017 wallet. Marchand, sprinting down the left wing, stripped Sedin of the puck and went to work. Marchand broke for the slot with the puck and saw Alex Edler stationed in front. With the softest of touches, Marchand pushed the puck through Edler’s legs, scooted around the defenseman, and tapped a backhander just past the reach of Ryan Miller at 12:03 of the third for the go-ahead goal. “When I was going to the net, I just had a little bit of speed,” Marchand said. “Their D-man had stopped, so I figured if I could just get on the other side of him and tried to get a whack at it, I might have a chance. Luckily it went in.” It was Marchand’s second of three goals. The left wing began his march toward a hat trick with a power-play goal at 0:58 of the third, tying the game at 3-3. When David Pastrnak sent a pass out front from behind the net, Marchand was in position to roof a backhander over Miller. Marchand completed the hat trick with an empty-net goal with 25.5 seconds remaining in regulation. The Bruins, down by a goal on two separate occasions, had turned a nail-biter into a three-goal laugher, mostly because Marchand yanked his teammates onto his shoulders. “He’s shown this kind of effort often,” said Tuukka Rask (26 saves). “When we’ve needed somebody to pick us up, he’s often been the guy who takes over the game and scores a big point or makes a big play. Today was a good example. He really wanted the hat trick and he got it.” Marchand’s trick-completing goal, however, paled compared to the audacity of his second strike. Not many players have the confidence, to say nothing of the skill set, to pull off such a feat of trickery, deception, and touch. But part of what’s made Marchand arguably the best left wing in the league is his fearlessness. He is not afraid of anything — a critical moment, a dangerous opponent, or absorbing physical abuse that would send lesser players scurrying for the room. When the Bruins required a bold play to win the game, Marchand was happy to execute. “I just feel he’s a guy that knows he can score, wants to score, and has the confidence to go out and try those moves,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “Shoot when he’s supposed to shoot, not look to overpass. Great chemistry with Bergeron, so they’re obviously feeding off each other.” Marchand’s 3-1—4 night left him with 74 points, just one off the pace of league leader Connor McDavid. McDavid, Marchand, and Sidney Crosby (74) are trading elbows in a sprint for the Hart Trophy. Marchand has become the most complete left wing in the business, better than Jamie Benn or Alex Ovechkin, the other go-to players at the position. The Bruins needed such an effort from Marchand because they showed uncharacteristic slackness in the first period. The down-and-out Canucks struck twice in a 78-second segment in the period once they gained separation in the neutral zone. In that stretch, the Bruins had no answers for Vancouver’s first line of Henrik Sedin, Daniel Sedin, and Mikael Granlund. Granlund scored the first of two goals at 15:47, tying the game at 1-1 to capitalize on a rush through center ice. Then at 17:05, following 1052625 Boston Bruins he gets enough of an opportunity from our end. But we’ve got to play the players through the course of the game that give us the best chance to win.” Austin Czarnik is chasing NHL traction Cehlarik back in The Bruins put Peter Cehlarik in a good spot when they recalled the By Fluto Shinzawa rookie from Providence on Feb. 18. The skilled Slovakian rode on Krejci’s left flank, a position that any young player would enjoy. Globe Staff March 14, 2017 Cehlarik showed spurts of creativity as No. 2 left wing. He assisted on two goals in the Bruins’ 4-0 win over Montreal on Feb. 12. He believed he had scored his first career NHL goal against Los Angeles on Feb. 23. But VANCOUVER — Austin Czarnik has never had trouble adjusting to the the goal was scrubbed after LA’s successful offside challenge. next level. But not being hard enough on the puck earned Cehlarik a two-game In 2010-11, after aging out of the National Team Development Program, sitdown against Detroit and Philadelphia, one that ended against Czarnik scored 20 goals and 14 assists in 46 games for Green Bay of the Vancouver. This time, Cassidy placed Cehlarik on the fourth line USHL. alongside Moore and Hayes. Following a one-year USHL stint, Czarnik smashed his way into college Cehlarik skated only eight shifts for 6:11 of ice time. In the first period, hockey. In his freshman season, Czarnik scored 10 goals and 27 assists Cehlarik lost a puck battle in the offensive zone that allowed the Canucks in 40 games, trailing only ex-Bruin Reilly Smith in scoring. to rush up the ice and score their first goal. After concluding a four-year career at Miami University, Czarnik excelled “Younger guy that we played up in the lineup. He played well at times,” in his first professional season, scoring 20 goals and 41 assists in 68 Cassidy said. “Other times, he got knocked off some pucks like a lot of games for Providence. young guys. We want him to play if he’s going to be here. With a veteran like Dom Moore, we’ll give him a shot there. He’ll still see power-play This season has been an exception. time and see how he handled his couple games upstairs. If we feel he’s Czarnik has five goals and eight assists in 49 games as an NHL rookie. harder on pucks, maybe he moves up.” He played only 5:35 in the Bruins’ 2-1 win over Philadelphia on Saturday, Cehlarik is not a future fourth-line NHLer. He is a good skater, sees the second-least after Jimmy Hayes (5:19). It was 5:35 more than Czarnik, a ice well, and has soft hands to play give-and-go hockey with skilled healthy scratch on Monday, played against Vancouver. centers like Krejci. But Cehlarik went scoreless in nine of his first 10 Czarnik has 66 shots in 49 games. His 1.3 shots per game is well off the games. Once the Bruins acquired Drew Stafford on March 1, they had 2.4 pace he set in Providence last year. another option on the left side. Stafford’s arrival and Cehlarik’s dip in play made the 21-year-old one of the odd men out. “It’s a hard league,” Czarnik said. “I feel like every single time you come back, you just have to adjust to it. It takes a game or two. I think I need to “From upstairs, you can see that you have more time than you think on adjust to it quicker and be even more of a threat out there. I haven’t really the ice,” Cehlarik said. “Sometimes I was trying to make a quick play. It shot the puck at all. That’s one of the things I want to focus on, getting didn’t connect and it was a turnover. That’s pretty much what I need to back up. I just haven’t shot it. It’s on myself and what I’ve been doing. I improve on and manage the puck.” just have to learn from it and try to move on.” Swinging big A center who has been used to top-six shifts has not been able to Tuukka Rask was the only player not to participate in Monday’s morning generate consistent offense behind Patrice Bergeron, David Krejci, and skate. Rask was scheduled to start against Ryan Miller, who is playing Ryan Spooner. well despite Vancouver’s down-and-out status. “You always want to get “He’s used to getting the heavy minutes as well, playing in all situations, the first one,” Cassidy said of opening the three-game Western Canada a go-to guy,” said coach Bruce Cassidy, who had Czarnik in Providence swing against the Canucks. “It just puts you in a good frame of mind. last year. “When you come up here, you don’t always get those You’re not on your heels. We’re not looking ahead to Alberta. We’re responsibilities. Those responsibilities are with Patrice Bergeron and focused on Vancouver. We know Ryan Miller’s been playing terrific David Krejci and throughout the lineup. He has to learn that when he is hockey. If we see him, we’ve got to make sure we get traffic and second over the boards, he has to serve a role in terms of energy and still play to chances against him. Just a tough building to play in.” . . . John- his strengths.” MichaelLiles and Joe Morrow joined Czarnik as healthy scratches. Spooner continues to progress from his concussion, which has knocked Czarnik has experienced bad luck. The rookie missed a month of NHL him out for three straight games . . . Ex-Bruin Loui Eriksson was not play after hurting his left foot on Feb. 4 against Toronto. After playing well available because of a lower-body injury. for most of training camp, Czarnik suffered a concussion on Oct. 1 in a preseason game against Philadelphia. Both injuries put Czarnik behind Boston Globe LOADED: 03.14.2017 his teammates. But even before his foot injury, Czarnik had not been creating chances or playing dependable three-zone hockey. After playing just 7:06 in the Bruins’ 5-1 embarrassment against Pittsburgh on Jan. 22, Czarnik was scratched for the next four games by ex-coach Claude Julien. Czarnik returned to play 13:01 on Feb. 4 in the Bruins’ 6-5 loss to Toronto. He would not pull on a Bruins jersey again until March 8 for his team’s 6-1 pounding of Detroit, when he replaced Spooner (concussion) as No. 3 center between Hayes and Frank Vatrano. Before being recalled to play against the Red Wings, Czarnik appeared in five games for Providence on a conditioning stint. The center played well in the AHL, just as he had for his first pro season. Czarnik scored a goal and four assists, proving to himself and his bosses that his skills are a good fit for the AHL. But the 24-year-old is not sure when his next NHL opportunity will come. After starting as No. 3 center against the Flyers, Czarnik’s day ended on the fourth line with Hayes and Dominic Moore. “That’s tough for any young player,” Cassidy said of making the most of a diminished role. “He’s going through a bit of that. I think being hurt earlier, he’s playing catch-up to a certain extent. We’ve seen that with a few players. It’s hard when you’re not used to the league as well. You’re getting accustomed to the league and you’re playing catch-up, it’s going to be difficult. He’s going through a little bit of that now. But Austin is a character guy. He’s a competitor. Over time, he’ll figure it out. Hopefully 1052626 Boston Bruins

On a quest for NHL’s best ramen, getting there wasn’t any fun

By Fluto Shinzawa Globe Staff March 13, 2017

You know the airline considers it a serious goof when they deploy a representative upon touchdown to hand out cards good for redemption to each discouraged traveler. The usual response, as we’ve all become accustomed to experiencing, is a shrug of the shoulders. The card, however, was of zero consolation when Air Canada’s repeated stumbles made the first leg of my Boston-Toronto-Vancouver journey pull into Pearson almost three hours late. There were some mumbles about an en-route drink cart, a delayed deicing, and a wait for a ground crew to service the bathroom. These apologies went unheard to a hungry eater in full rage mode. The flight attendant told me mid-flight that I would miss my YVR connection. My dinner plan was shot. It had been six years since my last visit to Vancouver. That has translated to six years of dreaming about Kintaro, the best ramen shop I’ve ever visited. My itinerary called for an evening arrival in Vancouver, with the first stop being Kintaro’s counter for a bowl of shoyu ramen. I was ready to tuck my head into a jet engine when I landed late in Toronto. I would have to clear customs, beg for a rebooking, and cross my fingers that I could at least arrive in Vancouver on Saturday night instead of staying over in a Toronto airport hotel. These are crushing moments when a good part of your everyday thinking has been spent on noodles. What I did not understand is that Toronto to Vancouver is quite a popular leg. I would have my choice of flights. If I hustled, I could make the 5 p.m., just one hour later than my original flight. Without even a visit to a gate agent, Air Canada promptly rebooked me for a 5 p.m. departure. After a sprint through customs, hastened by my invaluable NEXUS card, I made it to Gate B41, where they had started boarding. For the next four-plus hours, I tried to fend off hunger by pounding down Altoids, the only thing I had to eat. At approximately 11 p.m. Eastern, we arrived in Vancouver. After checking in and dropping my stuff off at my hotel, I practically ran 15 minutes to Kintaro. The broth (medium) was good. The noodles were outstanding. The slices of pork were tasty. Other places have become very good during my six-year absence from Vancouver. Noodle enthusiasts have plenty of choices, including in Boston. Perhaps part of my judgment was because of anticipation, the same emotion that makes the buildup toward Christmas, for example, more exciting than the holiday itself. Regardless of the reason, Kintaro remains my favorite ramen shop in the league. Boston Globe LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052627 Boston Bruins

Brad Marchand’s hat trick leads Bruins past Canucks

Steve Conroy Tuesday, March 14, 2017

VANCOUVER—Brad Marchand added one more item to his Hart Trophy resume last night. The Bruins needed two points from a floundering Canucks team but at times seemed destined to kick it away. Yet Marchand would not let that happen. He produced a four-point night, including the equalizing goal (33), the eventual game-winner (34) and an empty-netter (35) in the B’s 6-3 victory at Rogers Arena. “He came to play,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “He’s a leader of our hockey team. He knows the urgency of where we are in the season, game in and game out. He wants to extend the season, no doubt about it, and it shows every night. And he’s pulled some guys along. He’s really become a heart and soul player for this team, and that’s at both ends of the ice.” Marchand scored his second third-period goal (No. 34) with 7:57 left to give the Bruins a 4-3 lead. He stole the puck from Henrik Sedin in the left circle, cut through a a few bodies in the slot and then beat Ryan Miller with a backhander off the post and in. “It’s impressive,” Patrice Bergeron said. “You’re not going to see those goals too often, so you have to take it all in when you see it.” David Krejci then sealed it with is 19th of the season off a set-up from David Pastrnak with 3:14 left. “Lots of great memories in this building, so it’s fun to us to come in here and kind of reminisce,” Marchand said. “And when you have a night like that, it just adds to those memories. Again, we’re enjoying playing the game right now and it’s just another step along the way.” The Bruins came into the third period trailing 3-2, but tied it on a power- play goal from Marchand. David Pastrnak broke in alone on goalie Ryan Miller but lost control of the puck. He chased it down behind the net and fed it out front to Marchand, who backhanded his 33rd of the year past Miller. The Bruins came out strong, especially the top line, but after scoring first they saw the Canucks score twice in less than two minutes to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. On the very first shift, Marchand and Patrice Bergeron broke in on a 2- on-1, but Bergeron fanned on Marchand’s pass. A little later David Backes just missed the far corner off his own rebound. But it was Backes who got the first goal, his 14th of the year. Bergeron broke in on the left wing and fired a shot that produced a rebound right back to him.. He flipped the rebound out to the slot, where the puck went off Backes’ right skate and under Miller. The B’s got the first power play of the game, but could not cash in (Marchand could not get to a loose puck at the side of the crease) and then had the last 15 seconds washed out with a Drew Stafford slashing penalty. The Canucks gained the advantage with two goals from their top line, both scored off the rush, with Markus Granlund scoring both times. The first one came at 15:47 after it appeared that Dominic Moore had won an offensive zone faceoff. Peter Cehlarik could not control the loose puck, then fell down and the Canucks were off to the races. Daniel Sedin carried it down the right wing and then fed the trailer Granlund, who beat Tuukka Rask with a well-placed wrist shot over the blocker from the slot. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052628 Boston Bruins

Bruins notebook: Peter Cehlarik returns to lineup after two-game break

Steve Conroy Tuesday, March 14, 2017

VANCOUVER — No player ever wants to sit in the pressbox and watch a hockey game, but both the Bruins and Peter Cehlarik are hoping the experience will serve the rookie well. Cehlarik was back in the lineup for last night’s game against the Canucks, skating on the fourth line with Dominic Moore and Jimmy Hayes. He played his first 10 games of the season on the second line with David Krejci and David Pastrnak. Last night, Drew Stafford skated in that spot on the second line. “He’s a younger guy that we’ve played up in the lineup. He’s played well at times, other times he got knocked off some pucks, like a lot of young guys,” coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We want him to play, if he’s going to be here. And with a veteran like Dom Moore, we’ll give him a shot there. He’ll still see some power-play time and see how he handled his couple of games upstairs. If we feel he’s harder on pucks, then maybe he moves up as well.” Cehlarik, 21, learned a few things from watching the previous two games. “I still want to play, but watching from upstairs, you see that you have more time than I thought, you know? I was maybe rushing some plays, and it happened that I didn’t connect on a few plays. And I just want to be stronger on the puck in this game,” Cehlarik said. “I want to keep my feet moving. I’m trying to work on my skating but it’s a long process. And I just want to be stronger on the puck and keep the puck on my stick more in the offensive zone and don’t try to rush things and make risky plays.” Cehlarik has good size (6-foot-2, 202 pounds), and he made enough pretty plays to suggest he has a future as a top-six NHL forward. But he went into last night still looking for his first NHL goal. He had one called back in Los Angeles and he hit a post as well. Is he frustrated? “Yeah, probably,” he said. “But I’m just trying to stick with my game. Obviously we had some chances, and if I was more effective, I would have stayed in the lineup. You want to bury those chances, but you have to stick to your game and not think about it too much.” He didn’t want to change his game much on the fourth line. “It’s going to be a little different, more of a straight-line play, and you have to bring energy, but I want to bring my game to this line, and if I’m strong on the puck, I’ll be able to make plays,” Cehlarik said. Shore takes long route With the Canucks out of the playoffs, it’s audition time here and one hopeful traveled halfway around the world to get his. Forward Drew Shore, who had played for Florida and Calgary, was in Switzerland playing for Kloten HC on Saturday trying to revive his career when he was offered a deal by the Canucks. “It was a long day. I finished my game on Saturday night about 11, luckily my wife had most of our apartment packed. She was really helpful. I boarded a plane around 5 a.m., flew an hour to Frankfurt and then I think it was 11 hours to Vancouver,” Shore said. “I was awake at about 5 a.m. and took a walk, so I think I’ll be able to get a good nap in.” Spooner still out Ryan Spooner (concussion) remained out, though he skated with the team. There is a chance he could play tomorrow night in Calgary. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052629 Boston Bruins

Bruins need a win in trip opener in Vancouver

Steve Conroy Monday, March 13, 2017

VANCOUVER — With 14 games to go for the Bruins, it would not be an overstatement to say that their season just might hinge on their next five, starting tonight against the Canucks at Rogers Arena. After tonight, they play back-to-back in Calgary and Edmonton on Wednesday and Thursday, come home for a short respite, then play a huge game in Toronto on Monday. Following that, they head home for another biggie against Ottawa at the Garden on Tuesday. Considering the Canucks are the only non-playoff team in the bunch, two points tonight will be imperative for the B's. “You always want to get the first one. It just puts you in a good frame of mind and you're not on your heels,” said interim coach Bruce Cassidy. “We're not looking ahead to Alberta. We're focused on Vancouver. We know that (goalie) Ryan Miller's been playing terrific hockey. We've got to make sure we get traffic and second chances against him. It's just a tough building to play in, so our focus has to be on our game and playing it well.” Though they are 15 points out of a Western Conference playoff spot, the Canucks haven't been an easy out at home, posting an 18-11-6 record at Rogers. It looks like Austin Czarnik, ineffective in his two games playing for the injured Ryan Spooner (concussion), will take a seat tonight while Riley Nash will be the third-line center between Matt Beleskey and Frank Vatrano. Peter Cehlarik, scratched the last two games, will draw back into the line skating on a fourth line with Dominic Moore and Jimmy Hayes while Drew Stafford will bump back up to the left wing on the David Krejci-David Pastrnak line. Puck drop is 10 p.m. ET. Boston Herald LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052630 Boston Bruins games over five seasons with the Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames before deciding to go overseas in 2016-17.

Shore picked up an assist on Edler's goal. Marchand has hat trick in 3rd; Bruins roll past Canucks, 6-3 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017

By Associated Press March 14, 2017 1:10 AM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Brad Marchand had a hat trick in the third period, including the winning goal with under eight minutes to go, and the Boston Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks 6-3 on Monday night. Marchand, who also had an assist, has 35 goals on the season to tie Sidney Crosby for tops in the NHL. David Backes, Zdeno Chara and David Krejci had the other goals for Boston. Tuukka Rask made 26 saves and earned his 200th career win. Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak each added two assists. Markus Granlund, with two, and Alexander Edler scored for Vancouver, and Henrik and Daniel Sedin each picked up two assists. Ryan Miller made 37 saves in his 700th NHL game. The Bruins, who are 11-3-0 since interim head coach Bruce Cassidy took over for the fired Claude Julien on Feb. 7, are four points up on the Toronto Maple Leafs for third place in the Atlantic Division after beginning a four-game road trip on a winning note. Vancouver led 3-2 after 40 minutes, but Boston came out flying after the second intermission and tied it 58 seconds into the third when Pastrnak threw the puck in front to Marchand, who fired his 33rd past Miller. Granlund, who scored his goals in the first, had a good chance to get his hat trick later in the period, but Rask made a nice pad stop to keep things tied before Marchand struck again. Marchand stole the puck from Henrik Sedin in the Canucks' zone before stepping around Edler and beating Miller with 7:57 left. Krejci then put it out of reach with his 19th on a slick pass from Pastrnak at 16:46. Marchand completed the hat trick with 25.5 seconds left into an empty net for his 35th. Down 2-1 after the first period, the Bruins tied it at 13:58 of the second when Chara's point shot somehow leaked through Miller with Jimmy Hayes lurking in front for his seventh goal of the season. Vancouver had a couple of great chances before the equalizer, with both Jason Megna and Sven Baertschi forcing good saves out of Rask, but the Boston goalie will feel he should have done better on Edler's go- ahead goal just 21 seconds later. The Canucks defenseman saw his slap shot off the rush blocked by Tory Krug, but he stayed the play and fired an effort from a tight angle that bounced off Rask's pad and into the top of the net for his fourth. Winners of six of their past eight coming into Monday, the Bruins opened the scoring at 6:48 of the first when Bergeron followed up on his initial shot to feed the puck in front to Backes, who saw it go in off his skate for his 14th. Miller, who was stellar in making 45 saves in Saturday's 3-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, made a nice stop on Bergeron in the slot on a Boston power play later in the period before robbing Marchand on the rebound. After missing the Pittsburgh game with food poisoning, Granlund returned to the lineup alongside the Sedins and got his first of the game at 15:47. With Henrik Sedin driving to the net, Daniel Sedin fed Granlund in the slot and he beat a screened Rask stick-side for his 18th. Granlund got his second just 1:18 later after finishing a beautiful tic-tac- toe passing play by sweeping a shot past Rask. Now just one goal back of Bo Horvat for the team lead, Granlund nearly completed the natural hat trick moments later, but he couldn't quite get to a loose puck in the slot. Drew Shore made his debut for Vancouver just two days after the forward's season in Switzerland ended. The Canucks signed the 26-year- old on Sunday following a team-high 48-point season (24 goals, 24 assists) with Kloten HC. Shore had nine goals and 15 assists in 80 1052631 Boston Bruins

In-game changes, 'tinkering' have been a Bruins constant in winning stretch

By Joe Haggerty March 13, 2017 2:58 PM

One of the constants throughout the last month for the Boston Bruins has been change throughout their lineup. It’s been mostly up front where interim head coach Bruce Cassidy has moved around the wingers on both the left and right side while largely leaving Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron together as the constant on Boston’s top line. The in-game line changes led to the game-winning third period goal vs. Philly -- a makeshift third line of Matt Beleskey, Riley Nash and Drew Stafford -- finally gave Boston the victorious edge, and have been a spark-producing tool that Cassidy hasn’t shied away from by any means. “[As] the game goes, and the pace of the game, I thought Frankie [Vatrano], we could bump him up because he’s skating. That line has even more speed with Pasta [David Pastrnak] on the other side, and [Drew] Stafford goes back to his right side if we’re going to move [Riley] Nash up. So there are kind of two or three different things in effect there when we did it,” Cassidy said. “I thought [Matt] Beleskey was going, so he was going to move up and then what was left would be our fourth line and give us some energy, and they did. “It eventually took a while to shake out, but that was kind of the thinking. A little bit has to do with Philly, they’ve got three pretty balanced lines. Even though [Sean] Couturier is kind of their checking line, they can score, that line, as well. So Stafford out there balances that, because he can score as well, so we end up getting a match-up where I guess you try to balance out the equation a little bit. That’s what we ended up with. It happened to work out, and I think you’ll see more of that, and you have since day one, moving people around in game. Listen, when we find the best formula we’ll keep it that way, but we’re still tinkering.” It clearly helps the B’s coaching staff that Pastrnak has a high comfort level with Bergeron and Marchand as just about any red-blooded right wing would, and that David Backes has plenty of past history skating with Krejci this season. It makes for interchangeable parts with Stafford’s ability to play both wings adding that extra flexibility for Cassidy and the Bruins coaches based on what they see once the puck is dropped. Cassidy also “tinkered with” the defensemen pairings in Saturday’s win over the Flyers when he pushed Kevan Miller up to the top pairing with Zdeno Chara, and went almost exclusively with veteran tandems of Chara/Miller and Torey Krug/Adam McQuaid down the stretch during a tight third period that ended with a last second win. “Not unlike the forward group, I think our D has been obviously more consistent in terms of definitely our six who we dress, and we flip-flop the Millers [Colin and Kevan] on which sides. But in the past, we’ve moved [Brandon] Carlo down and someone up with Zee [Zdeno Chara] if there’s a match-up we prefer. That’s all it was,” said Cassidy. “I talked to Joe [Sacco] a little bit about it between periods, and decided to go that route. Monday [against the Canucks], Zee will be back with Carlo. We tend to go back to what we start with, and then see how it plays out.” Patience can be an admirable trait for a hockey coach, but it can also allow things to get stale and played out if changes aren’t made at the key junctures in hockey games. There have been no problems with that while the Black and Gold have ripped off 10 wins in their last 13 games to continue pushing a playoff pace this season. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052632 Boston Bruins

Haggerty's Morning Skate: Pastrnak in line for big contract

By Joe Haggerty March 13, 2017 1:55 PM

Follow along with the latest Patriots and NFL rumors all in one convenient place on "The Pulse" Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading while waiting to get smacked by the snow just like everybody else. -- The Oil Barons have had a big hand in helping out the Fort McMurray area after forest fires wiped the community out. -- Boston University standout Clayton Keller is already generating comparisons to Patrick Kane, and excitement in Arizona where the Coyotes undoubtedly expect him to be playing with them next season. -- Mike Zeisberger delves deeply into the amazing life of new Leafs center Brian Boyle and his giant Hingham family that have a story or two to tell. -- NHL players talk to ESPN.com about their favorite referees in the league, and Wes McCauley and Dan O’Halloran end up at the top of the list. -- The top 10 list of interesting restricted free agents coming this offseason that includes David Pastrnak headed toward a big contract with the Bruins. -- PHT writer Cam Tucker has things changing quickly for a Washington Capitals team that’s limping toward the postseason with losses in four straight games. -- For something completely different: It’s looking more and more like our mayor here in Newton is going to take a run at Massachusetts Governor. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052633 Buffalo Sabres goal with 2:29 left and then added an empty net goal to complete the Sabres' 5-3 win in a game that saw them down, 3-0, after the first period.

"You don't play as well as you want against a good team and they make Eichel looks for more success as he goes West you pay. That's what happened there," Eichel said. "It's 3-0 and that's what we deserved. But then we brought a lot more emotion into the game, got more invested into it. We've been on the other side of that one Mike Harrington so it was nice to be on the winning side this time. Published Mon, Mar 13, 2017 "It would be nice if we brought that type of intensity and emotion to more games. It doesn't need to be 3-0, 4-1 or whatever for that to happen. We want it to be right off the bat." SAN JOSE -- The evolution of Jack Eichel's career continues to include Buffalo News LOADED: 03.14.2017 several checkpoints. The next one starts here Tuesday night. One of the low stages of Eichel's rookie season came nearly 13 months ago when he went pointless in three straight games on the West Coast. With Ryan O'Reilly out due to injury, Eichel was Buffalo's No. 1 center on the trip through Anaheim, San Jose and Los Angeles and dealt with veterans at every turn. He was hounded by Ryan Kesler of the Ducks, harrassed by Logan Couture and Joe Thornton of the Sharks and equally stymied in LA by Jeff Carter and Anze Kopitar. It was quite an education for Eichel as the Sabres posted a 3-1 win in San Jose but were shut out in the other two games. Eichel meets the Sharks here again Tuesday, then moves on to Los Angeles Thursday and Anaheim Friday. And he said he's looking forward to making quite a bit more impact on this trip than he did last year. "It was definitely a little bit of a learning curve for me last year, no doubt," Eichel told The News after practice Monday in SAP Center. "Now I'm playing with more confidence. You're a year older, playing better and feeling better about my game. To me, I'm not even close to the player I was a year ago. I feel like I'm almost a completely different player. I'm looking forward to three tough games. Good players. Good opponents. A real good test for our team and for myself. "It's a next step for him and his career," added coach Dan Bylsma. "I agree with Jack. He's a different player now than when we stepped out here last year. It's going to be a test and one I'm interested to see Jack go through." With 19 goals and 47 points in 48 games, Eichel has emerged as nearly a point-a-game player this season. But he's erupted since Feb. 1 with seven goals and 19 assists in 20 games. Entering Monday's play, Eichel's assist total and his 26 points led the NHL in that span, two points ahead of Chicago star and South Buffalo native Patrick Kane. "I'm more rounded, feeling better in areas than I did last year," Eichel said. "One thing is I'm really able to slow the game down a lot more, I'm more dynamic on my backhand and I understand the game at this level a lot better. It takes time to learn the NHL game. It's not easy. It doesn't happen overnight. "This year has been a huge step forward for me in terms of understanding hockey. You're just trying to bring that consistency more often, being aware of what type of game you're going into, knowing how you'll have to play against that team. Sometimes you have to let the game come to you and take what it gives. I'm better on the forecheck, getting more pucks back. I'm more physical, more tenacious and that opens up the offensive side." One thing Bylsma noted was how well Eichel played in Friday's 4-3 loss at Columbus -- the game Eichel's career-high 11-game point streak was snapped. "Along a streak of 11 games, you get a point here or point there that gets tacked on," Bylsma said. "The game in Columbus he was really good, very good in that game. He was a part of a goal he didn't get the assist on and he had plenty of opportunity himself." Bylsma said he's marveled at all Eichel has had to deal with since entering the NHL as an 18-year-old and now advancing to age 20. Eichel has 103 points in his first 129 NHL games. In Sabres history, only Pierre Turgeon and Hall of Famer Phil Housley reached 100 points at a younger age. "You're maturing, you're growing up. The spotlight is on you. People talk about you," Bylsma said. "There's comparisons to this guy and that guy. When you hiccup, it's the end of the world. When you don't score a goal, you're not on pace. What was I like at 18? I was buried in my freshman year at Bowling Green with no one looking. It's a lot for a young kid go go through. He's going through it with a lot of maturity. He's evolved into a different player." Eichel started a new point streak with two points in the final 2 1/2 minutes Saturday against Columbus. He fed Evander Kane for the tiebreaking 1052634 Buffalo Sabres The incident happened as Foligno rushed into the corner after what he felt was a hit from behind by Columbus' Brandon Dubinsky on Sabres winger Tyler Ennis, who has a recent history of concussions. Sabres Notebook: Reeling in Sharks has been easy fishing "I just came in there pretty furious. I should have let up a bit probably but I never really checked or finished Atkinson," Foligno said. "I went over top of him. He fell on the ground and before I know it I was trying to grab By Mike Harrington Dubinsky and that's how it happened. You're thankful it's not serious and you didn't catch him in the neck or the face." Published Mon, Mar 13, 2017 Foligno said he talked briefly to his older brother, Nick, like he does after each Sabres-Blue Jackets game. The Foligno brothers had one shoving match during the game as the final 30 minutes grew particularly ornery SAN JOSE -- Through playoff years, tanking years and now rebuilding on the second half of a back-to-back between the teams. years, the Buffalo Sabres have been just about automatic against the San Jose Sharks since the 2005 NHL lockout. "I think he was a little bit ticked off after last game," Foligno said with a smile. "It was a quick couple minutes and he had to get his flight. But I'm The height of head-shaking wins might have come Feb. 7 in Buffalo, always texting with him. And from a family perspective it was a 50-50 when the Sabres wiped out a 4-1 deficit in the third period and beat the split of the series so that's probably good for everybody." Sharks, 5-4, on Evander Kane's overtime goal. That put the Sabres at 10-0-1 against San Jose in its last 11 decisions. The Sabres added a free agent college defenseman late last season in Minnesota State's Casey Nelson, who has spent the bulk of this year in The teams meet again here Tuesday in SAP Center, where the Sabres Rochester, and are reportedly in line to add another. TSN reported have won five straight -- and have either blanked the Sharks or held them Monday that St. Lawrence's Gavin Bayreuther may sign as soon as to one goal in four of the games. But after the last meeting, you have to Tuesday and that Buffalo is battling for his services along with Dallas, figure the defending Western Conference champions are going to try to New Jersey and Colorado. come out blazing. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Bayreuther is a left-handed shot and is second "We stole two points from them the last time, just stole them," winger in the nation this year among defensemen in points per game at 0.97 (29 Marcus Foligno admitted after practice Monday on the Sharks' home ice. points in 30 games) He had eight goals while leading the team in assists "You know they're bringing that game up and want some revenge. You (21) and points, and also had a plus-9 rating. know they will be ready from puck drop." Buffalo News LOADED: 03.14.2017 In discussions over his two years, coach Dan Bylsma has often been amazed by some of the bizarre head-to-head series the Sabres have forged against the West. The Los Angeles Kings, for instance, have lost eight straight games in Buffalo dating to 2003 -- but have posted three straight 2-0 win over the Sabres in Staples Center, where the teams will meet Thursday night. "We have some weird history with the West Coast teams, with them in our building or us in theirs," Bylsma said. "I don't believe in any of that but it sure seems to play out." The San Jose dominance is particularly odd given the Sharks' perennial runs to the postseason that have included berths in the Western Conference final in 2010 and 2011 and the Stanley Cup final against Pittsburgh last June. The Sabres won here last year, 3-1, as goaltender Chad Johnson blanked the Sharks over the final 58 minutes and Buffalo snapped a tie with a pair of third-period goals. "I just feel like you get that confidence against a team and it keeps going and going," Foligno said. "Even in that game at home, it just didn't feel like we were out of it ever. And in this building, we always seem to play a good road game. We score at critical times, late in periods. We get saves, we shut down their top players. We're looking forward for more of that." Late feeding frenzy produces Sabres' stunner over Sharks Looking to have an extra forward on hand for the trip, the Sabres called up winger Hudson Fasching from Rochester. In 25 games for the Amerks this season, Fasching has six goals, two assists and a minus-12 rating. The 21-year-old opened the season with the Sabres, collecting no points in six games and then left with a groin injury Oct. 30 in Winnipeg. After getting cleared to play, Fasching was sent to Rochester and practiced twice before the injury became too difficult to play through. MRIs showed damage and Fasching sat nearly three months. Bylsma said it's pretty certain Fasching will see action on this trip, likely either in Los Angeles on Thursday or Anaheim on Friday. Fasching skated as an extra forward here Monday. "It's been a fairly long process for him and he's probably still in that process," Bylsma sid. "I'd like to see Hudson get up and get some games. We needed someone for the West Coast trip and Hudson is going to get that opportunity." "That's part of the learning process of being pro. There's adversity that goes with it," Fasching said. "Injuries happen. It's learning to be mentally tough through a major injury and coming back. I'm just here and happy to be here. If I get the opportunity, I"ll try to make the most of it." Foligno said he apologized to Columbus winger Cam Atkinson following Saturday's 5-3 win over the Blue Jackets, a game that saw Foligno accidentally step on Atkinson's shoulder and cause a dangerous 17-stitch cut with his skate blade. 1052635 Buffalo Sabres

Quick update from San Jose: Fasching gets the call

By Mike Harrington Published Mon, Mar 13, 2017

SAN JOSE -- The long and winding road to Hudson Fasching's season continued Monday as the 21-year-old winger found his way to San Jose for the Buffalo Sabres' Western road trip. Fasching was called up by the team from Rochester and flew here with them for practice in SAP Center in advance of Tuesday's game against the San Jose Sharks. Fasching opened the season with the Sabres, collecting no points in six games, before being sent to Rochester after leaving the Oct. 30 game at Winnipeg with a groin problem. He returned to practice twice with the Amerks before the problem grew much worse, eventually sidelining him for nearly three months. In 25 games for the Amerks this season, Fasching has six goals, two assists and a minus-12 rating. "It's an injury that took me out for a while and it was my first major injury," Fasching said. "It's been hard mentally and you try to stay with it. When you're in it, you're trying to take it day by day and not think about it long term. It gets scary and you get down on yourself. I was just trying to take it day by day and week by week." Coach Dan Bylsma said it's pretty certain Fasching will see action on this trip, likely either in Los Angeles on Thursday or Anaheim on Friday. Fasching skated as an extra forward here Monday. "It's been a fairly long process for him and he's probably still in that process," Bylsma sid. "I'd like to see Hudson get up and get some games. We needed someone for the West Coast trip and Hudson is going to get that opportunity." All the Sabres' healthy players made the trip and skated Monday. Defenseman Cody Franson is wearing a full face shield after taking a puck to the chin Saturday against Columbus. The forward lines were: Kane-O'Reilly-Gionta Moulson-Eichel-Reinhart Foligno-Girgensons-Bailey Deslauriers-Rodrigues-Ennis In corresponding moves made by Rochester, the Amerks recalled two former Buffalo draft picks, defenseman Brycen Martin and forward Justin Kea, from the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL. That leaves goalie Jason Kasdorf as the only Sabres property still with the Jackals, who announced last week they will cease operations at the end of the season. Buffalo News LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052636 Calgary Flames DEFENCE Mark Giordano-Dougie Hamilton Streaking Flames host Crosby & Co. in marquee matchup TJ Brodie-Deryk Engelland Matt Bartkowski-Dennis Wideman WES GILBERTSON GOAL Published on: March 13, 2017 | Last Updated: March 13, 2017 12:43 PM Brian Elliott MDT Chad Johnson

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.14.2017 The host Calgary Flames are the NHL’s hottest team, winners of nine straight. Their out-of-town guests include the NHL’s biggest star, Sidney Crosby. Monday’s matchup at the Saddledome should be a doozy. The Flames will be shooting to extend their win streak into double digits in a much-anticipated date with the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. “It’s certainly a good storyline,” agreed Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “I said to our guys this morning, ‘We know who they are. They’re the Stanley Cup champions.’ But they know who we are now, too. And I think it’s going to set up to be one heck of a game. “The world’s best players are here tonight. It will be a great challenge.” The Flames extended their win spree with Saturday’s 3-0 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Center, Brian Elliott’s second straight shutout. It’s no surprise that Elliott, who hasn’t allowed a goal in his past 128:28 of action, will be back between the pipes against the Penguins. With a nine-game tear, the Flames have already erased the previous local record. In Monday’s meeting with Crosby & Co., they have a shot at matching the franchise mark — a 10-game roll by the Atlanta Flames early in the 1978-79 campaign. The Penguins aren’t exactly slumping, either. Despite a slew of injuries, they’ve won five in a row and are aiming to compete a sweep of western Canada after knocking off the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers and then blanking the Vancouver Canucks in Saturday’s late date on Hockey Night in Canada. “This is a special team coming in here,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano. “So it’s a big test for us.” “We know how skilled this team is and how fast they are,” echoed centre Sam Bennett. “They have some unbelievably talented guys on that team.” None more talented, of course, than No. 87. Although he hasn’t tickled twine in his past seven contests, Crosby still leads the loop with 34 goals. He ranks third among all NHLers with 72 points this season. Evgeni Malkin is no slouch, either. He’s scored six times in his past five outings. The Flames have also been filling the net. They’ve outscored their opponents 34-15 during their nine-game run, with five guys — Johnny Gaudreau, , Dougie Hamilton, Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik — averaging a point-per-game or better during that stretch. “I think we’re prepared for a challenging game here tonight, a fast-paced game,” Crosby said after Monday’s morning skate at the Saddledome. “The way the two teams want to play, I think whoever can get it out of their end the quickest and control puck possession, as far as in the offensive zone, will give themselves a better chance to win.” Matt Murray delivered a 30-save shutout in Vancouver, but Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to be Pittsburgh’s starter in Calgary. FLAMES’ PROJECTED LINEUP FORWARDS Johnny Gaudreau-Sean Monahan-Micheal Ferland Matthew Tkachuk-Mikael Backlund-Michael Frolik Kris Versteeg-Sam Bennett-Troy Brouwer Lance Bouma-Matt Stajan-Alex Chiasson 1052637 Calgary Flames “I think it’s more something that when the season is done, you think about,” Versteeg said of the streak. “As players, we play so much, you just go about your business every day. Perfect 10: Flames beat Penguins 4-3 in shootout to tie franchise streak “Seriously, 10 in a row would be honestly the last thing you think about. Or nine in a row, or eight in a row, or seven. It’s just playing the best you can each and every day and finding ways to win.” Kristen Odland, The Flames also found a way to end the Penguins’ streak of five-straight. Published on: March 13, 2017 | Last Updated: March 13, 2017 10:55 PM But the visitors put up a valiant fight. MDT And Crosby wasted no time making an impact, setting up Jake Guentzel’s first-period goal with just 2:54 elapsed. Switching directions behind the net, he hit linemate Connor Sheary with a perfect pass, who The Calgary Flames continue to make history. then fed Guentzel in front and, boom, Elliott’s shut-out streak came to an en at 131:22. Kris Versteeg’s shootout winner put the finishing touches on a thrilling 4- 3 victory against Sidney Crosby and the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins and Down 1-0 and out-shot 7-1 at one point of the opening frame, the Flames also extended the club’s winning spree to 10 straight games. finally pulled up their socks. Matt Stajan tied it after redirecting Deryk Engelland’s feed in front past Fleury. The goal, later, would be given to With the win, they equalled a 10-game roll by the Atlanta Flames early in Engelland after being determined to go off a Penguins’ stick in front. the 1978-79 campaign. But Pittsburgh would strike again before the period was over, when Chris And, boy, did they do it in fine fashion. Kunitz and Malkin had a give-and-go before Malkin tapped another past “I thought that was a great hockey game,” said Flames head coach Glen Elliott with 4:09 remaining. Gulutzan. “Hard on coaches’ life expectancy there a little bit, but I thought The Flames didn’t quit. two really good teams battling it out. At times, there are games in this league where, as a coach, it’s fun to watch too. Dennis Wideman tied it for the Flames with 1:34 elapsed in the middle frame, while the Flames received excellent goaltending from Elliott at the “It’s when you see great players playing at a high level. I give our guys a other end with timely saves on Sheary, Brian Dumoulin and Guentzel. lot of credit.” “They have huge skill on that team and they know what it takes to win,” One of them was Johnny Gaudreau, who netted the initial go-ahead goal said Elliott, who turned aside 27 shots and improved to 13-1-1 in his last in the third period, a wrap-around marker 5:22 in to break a 2-2 tie on a 15 starts. “They won last year. Beating that team, it’s a good measuring power play with Phil Kessel off for slashing T.J. Brodie. stick for us, knowing that we can play 60-65 minutes and we came away But, when playing the best player in the world and the defending Stanley with the win. Cup champions are coming at you, you have to expect a late push. It “I think we should have won in regulation, but we did a good job of just happened with 3:31 remaining, when Crosby battled with Mark Giordano battling through and Steeger, what a goal.” in front of Flames goalie Brian Elliott and eventually willed in a goal to knot the action 3-3. The Flames improved to 39-26-4 (15-2-1 in the team’s last 18 games since a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 24) to pull ahead of The Flames challenged goaltender interference. the Anaheim Ducks (36-23-10) for second in the Pacific Division. But, heck, even Elliott knew that one was counting. Next up? The Boston Bruins on Wednesday (7 p.m., Sportsnet, “You’re not getting that call,” Elliott said. “It’s 87. I don’t really understand Sportsnet 960 The Fan), where they’ll shoot for 11 straight wins and a the goalie interference and I’m a goalie, so it’s always up in the air.” new franchise record. The Flames’ faithful was so into Monday’s game that Crosby’s presence Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.14.2017 on the ice elicited boos. In overtime, the thrills continued: A missed partial breakaway from Michael Frolik; a Giordano penalty after he high-sticked Nick Bonino with 2:22 remaining in OT; a pile of saves from Elliott. And the shootout? A right-pad save from Elliott on Evgeni Malkin. A back-handed goal by Versteeg, who happened to score the shootout winner in Calgary’s 3-2 win at Pittsburgh on Feb. 7. A Crosby whiff over the net. A Sean Monahan shot gloved down by Marc-Andre Fleury. And, finally, another missed scoring chance by Phil Kessel. The Flames’ timing couldn’t be better. “To put together a streak like this at this time of year, we control our own fate here down the stretch,” Giordano said. “We’re beating some good teams, we’re playing some good hockey, but we still have a ways to go. “We still have to stick with it and play with that confidence.” At the team’s morning skate, Gulutzan predicted a thriller. “I said to our guys this morning, ‘We know who they are. They’re the Stanley Cup champions,’” he said. “But they know who we are now, too. And I think it’s going to set up to be one heck of a game. “The world’s best players are here tonight. It will be a great challenge.” He was right. The last time the Flames lost was back on Feb. 18, a 2-1 overtime defeat in Vancouver and, let’s be honest, it’s improbable that they are going to win the following 13 games of the regular season. So, enjoy it while it lasts. 1052638 Calgary Flames That’s something that Gulutzan has stressed in recent sitdowns with the snakebitten centre.

He sees signs that Scrappin’ Sammy will be Scorin’ Sammy again soon. Flames centre Sam Bennett showing scrappy side during offensive slump In the meantime, the plucky pivot will try to provide a spark in other ways, even if it could mean getting heck from home.

“It’s an emotional game. It’s easy to get caught up in that,” Bennett said. Wes Gilbertson “You have to use it to your advantage and just keep doing whatever you Published on: March 13, 2017 | Last Updated: March 13, 2017 7:53 PM can to help the team win.” MDT Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.14.2017

WINNIPEG, MANITOBA - MARCH 11: Jacob Trouba #8 of the Winnipeg Jets fights Sam Bennett #93 of the Calgary Flames during NHL action on March 11, 2017 at the MTS Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. LL Cool J’s mama, we’ve been led to believe, said knock you out. Diane Bennett would prefer if her boy didn’t. “My mom tells me to stop fighting,” admitted Calgary Flames centre Sam Bennett after Monday’s morning skate at the Saddledome. “They don’t love it, but it’s part of it.” Sorry, Ma. Scrappin’ Sammy isn’t a threat to Tim Hunter’s franchise record for most penalty minutes in a season (375!) and would be wise to stick to the middleweight division, but the 20-year-old centre has made it clear he won’t hesitate to chuck knuckles. In fact, heading into Monday’s marquee matchup against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Saddledome, Bennett had more tilts than tallies, 2-1, during the Flames’ recent roll. In Nashville, he exchanged punches with Predators pivot Ryan Johansen, who had bowled over Matt Stajan at a whistle and then flattened Bennett with a cross-check after the next faceoff. In the second period of Saturday’s victory in Winnipeg, Bennett tangled with Jacob Trouba in the corner and then whacked the Jets with a slash across the legs. One thing led to another, and … here we go again. The youngsters traded haymakers. Bennett’s nose was bloodied. Trouba was leaking from a cut on his forehead. Bennett also danced in mid-December with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov, bringing his season total to three fights. Only a hat-trick of Flames teammates – Deryk Engelland (nine times), Micheal Ferland (five) and current farmhand Garnet Hathaway (four) – have flipped their mitts more often. “I’ve always been a competitor and never afraid to drop ’em if I have to,” said Bennett, whose only other big-league bout was his skirmish last season with San Jose Sharks rearguard Marc-Edouard Vlasic. “I think, this year, it’s a lot more frustration personally so that might have something to do with it. But it’s a part of the game and I’m not afraid to do it.” Diane might cringe, but Bennett’s boss doesn’t mind seeing the occasional punch-up. “He’s getting himself some room, I think. He’s a young guy just scrapping for some room on the ice, and he’s done well at it,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “You don’t want him doing it all the time, but he’s emotionally involved in games and plays hard and he finishes his checks, and that stuff is going to come to him at times and it’s good that he responds. I like it. I think it’s a good way for a young guy who plays a hard-nosed game to establish himself.” Bennett, of course, is anxious to establish himself as a consistent scoring threat, an offensive go-to guy. Trouba might not agree, but the snarky sophomore has soft hands. Too soft to have managed, prior to Monday’s puck-drop, only two markers and four points in his past 30 contests. “What I really see coming in Benny’s game is he’s right at the point where he’s doing a lot of good things away from the puck – his work ethic away from the puck, his spots where he is getting and he’s working himself to,” said Gulutzan, who several times lately singled out No. 93 for post-game praise. “The next step for him now is making the plays. He’s put himself in position to get some good looks at the net, two-on-ones, good plays. He’ll start to make those plays, and then you’ll really see his game coming to fruition.” 1052639 Calgary Flames “I think it’s more something that when the season is done, you think about,” Versteeg said of the streak. “As players, we play so much, you just go about your business every day. Perfect 10: Flames beat Penguins 4-3 in shootout to tie franchise streak “Seriously, 10 in a row would be honestly the last thing you think about. Or nine in a row, or eight in a row, or seven. It’s just playing the best you can each and every day and finding ways to win.” By Kristen Odland, Postmedia The Flames also found a way to end the Penguins' streak of five-straight. First posted: Monday, March 13, 2017 10:11 PM MDT | Updated: But the visitors put up a valiant fight. Monday, March 13, 2017 10:58 PM MDT And Crosby wasted no time making an impact, setting up Jake Guentzel’s first-period goal with just 2:54 elapsed. Switching directions behind the net, he hit linemate Connor Sheary with a perfect pass, who The Calgary Flames continue to make history. then fed Guentzel in front and, boom, Elliott’s shut-out streak came to an en at 131:22. Kris Versteeg’s shootout winner put the finishing touches on a thrilling 4- 3 victory against Sidney Crosby and the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins and Down 1-0 and out-shot 7-1 at one point of the opening frame, the Flames also extended the club’s winning spree to 10 straight games. finally pulled up their socks. Matt Stajan tied it after redirecting Deryk Engelland’s feed in front past Fleury. The goal, later, would be given to With the win, they equalled a 10-game roll by the Atlanta Flames early in Engelland after being determined to go off a Penguins’ stick in front. the 1978-79 campaign. But Pittsburgh would strike again before the period was over, when Chris And, boy, did they do it in fine fashion. Kunitz and Malkin had a give-and-go before Malkin tapped another past “I thought that was a great hockey game,” said Flames head coach Glen Elliott with 4:09 remaining. Gulutzan. “Hard on coaches’ life expectancy there a little bit, but I thought The Flames didn’t quit. two really good teams battling it out. At times, there are games in this league where, as a coach, it’s fun to watch too. Dennis Wideman tied it for the Flames with 1:34 elapsed in the middle frame, while the Flames received excellent goaltending from Elliott at the “It’s when you see great players playing at a high level. I give our guys a other end with timely saves on Sheary, Brian Dumoulin and Guentzel. lot of credit.” “They have huge skill on that team and they know what it takes to win,” One of them was Johnny Gaudreau, who netted the initial go-ahead goal said Elliott, who turned aside 27 shots and improved to 13-1-1 in his last in the third period, a wrap-around marker 5:22 in to break a 2-2 tie on a 15 starts. “They won last year. Beating that team, it’s a good measuring power play with Phil Kessel off for slashing T.J. Brodie. stick for us, knowing that we can play 60-65 minutes and we came away But, when playing the best player in the world and the defending Stanley with the win. Cup champions are coming at you, you have to expect a late push. It “I think we should have won in regulation, but we did a good job of just happened with 3:31 remaining, when Crosby battled with Mark Giordano battling through and Steeger, what a goal.” in front of Flames goalie Brian Elliott and eventually willed in a goal to knot the action 3-3. The Flames improved to 39-26-4 (15-2-1 in the team’s last 18 games since a 5-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Jan. 24) to pull ahead of The Flames challenged goaltender interference. the Anaheim Ducks (36-23-10) for second in the Pacific Division. But, heck, even Elliott knew that one was counting. Next up? The Boston Bruins on Wednesday (7 p.m., Sportsnet, “You’re not getting that call,” Elliott said. “It’s 87. I don’t really understand Sportsnet 960 The Fan), where they’ll shoot for 11 straight wins and a the goalie interference and I’m a goalie, so it’s always up in the air.” new franchise record. The Flames’ faithful was so into Monday’s game that Crosby’s presence Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2017 on the ice elicited boos. In overtime, the thrills continued: A missed partial breakaway from Michael Frolik; a Giordano penalty after he high-sticked Nick Bonino with 2:22 remaining in OT; a pile of saves from Elliott. And the shootout? A right-pad save from Elliott on Evgeni Malkin. A back-handed goal by Versteeg, who happened to score the shootout winner in Calgary’s 3-2 win at Pittsburgh on Feb. 7. A Crosby whiff over the net. A Sean Monahan shot gloved down by Marc-Andre Fleury. And, finally, another missed scoring chance by Phil Kessel. The Flames’ timing couldn’t be better. “To put together a streak like this at this time of year, we control our own fate here down the stretch,” Giordano said. “We’re beating some good teams, we’re playing some good hockey, but we still have a ways to go. “We still have to stick with it and play with that confidence.” At the team’s morning skate, Gulutzan predicted a thriller. “I said to our guys this morning, ‘We know who they are. They’re the Stanley Cup champions,’” he said. “But they know who we are now, too. And I think it’s going to set up to be one heck of a game. “The world’s best players are here tonight. It will be a great challenge.” He was right. The last time the Flames lost was back on Feb. 18, a 2-1 overtime defeat in Vancouver and, let’s be honest, it’s improbable that they are going to win the following 13 games of the regular season. So, enjoy it while it lasts. 1052640 Calgary Flames In the meantime, the plucky pivot will try to provide a spark in other ways, even if it could mean getting heck from home.

“It’s an emotional game. It’s easy to get caught up in that,” Bennett said. Flames centre Sam Bennett showing scrappy side during offensive “You have to use it to your advantage and just keep doing whatever you slump can to help the team win.” Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2017 First posted: Monday, March 13, 2017 07:45 PM MDT | Updated: Monday, March 13, 2017 07:54 PM MDT Staff

LL Cool J’s mama, we’ve been led to believe, said knock you out. Diane Bennett would prefer if her boy didn’t. “My mom tells me to stop fighting,” admitted Calgary Flames centre Sam Bennett after Monday’s morning skate at the Saddledome. “They don’t love it, but it’s part of it.” Sorry, Ma. Scrappin’ Sammy isn’t a threat to Tim Hunter’s franchise record for most penalty minutes in a season (375!) and would be wise to stick to the middleweight division, but the 20-year-old centre has made it clear he won’t hesitate to chuck knuckles. In fact, heading into Monday’s marquee matchup against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins at the Saddledome, Bennett had more tilts than tallies, 2-1, during the Flames’ recent roll. In Nashville, he exchanged punches with Predators pivot Ryan Johansen, who had bowled over Matt Stajan at a whistle and then flattened Bennett with a cross-check after the next faceoff. In the second period of Saturday’s victory in Winnipeg, Bennett tangled with Jacob Trouba in the corner and then whacked the Jets defenceman with a slash across the legs. One thing led to another, and … here we go again. The youngsters traded haymakers. Bennett’s nose was bloodied. Trouba was leaking from a cut on his forehead. Bennett also danced in mid-December with Tampa Bay Lightning forward Vladislav Namestnikov, bringing his season total to three fights. Only a hat-trick of Flames teammates – Deryk Engelland (nine times), Micheal Ferland (five) and current farmhand Garnet Hathaway (four) – have flipped their mitts more often. “I’ve always been a competitor and never afraid to drop ’em if I have to,” said Bennett, whose only other big-league bout was his skirmish last season with San Jose Sharks rearguard Marc-Edouard Vlasic. “I think, this year, it’s a lot more frustration personally so that might have something to do with it. But it’s a part of the game and I’m not afraid to do it.” Diane might cringe, but Bennett’s boss doesn’t mind seeing the occasional punch-up. “He’s getting himself some room, I think. He’s a young guy just scrapping for some room on the ice, and he’s done well at it,” said Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “You don’t want him doing it all the time, but he’s emotionally involved in games and plays hard and he finishes his checks, and that stuff is going to come to him at times and it’s good that he responds. I like it. I think it’s a good way for a young guy who plays a hard-nosed game to establish himself.” Bennett, of course, is anxious to establish himself as a consistent scoring threat, an offensive go-to guy. Trouba might not agree, but the snarky sophomore has soft hands. Too soft to have managed, prior to Monday’s puck-drop, only two markers and four points in his past 30 contests. “What I really see coming in Benny’s game is he’s right at the point where he’s doing a lot of good things away from the puck – his work ethic away from the puck, his spots where he is getting and he’s working himself to,” said Gulutzan, who several times lately singled out No. 93 for post-game praise. “The next step for him now is making the plays. He’s put himself in position to get some good looks at the net, two-on-ones, good plays. He’ll start to make those plays, and then you’ll really see his game coming to fruition.” That’s something that Gulutzan has stressed in recent sitdowns with the snakebitten centre. He sees signs that Scrappin’ Sammy will be Scorin’ Sammy again soon. 1052641 Calgary Flames DEFENCE Mark Giordano-Dougie Hamilton Gulutzan on Pens: “They know who we are now, too" TJ Brodie-Deryk Engelland Matt Bartkowski-Dennis Wideman By Wes Gilbertson, Calgary Sun GOAL First posted: Monday, March 13, 2017 04:17 PM MDT | Updated: Brian Elliott Monday, March 13, 2017 04:24 PM MDT Chad Johnson

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2017 The host Calgary Flames are the NHL’s hottest team, winners of nine straight. Their out-of-town guests include the NHL’s biggest star, Sidney Crosby. Monday’s matchup at the Saddledome should be a doozy. The Flames will be shooting to extend their win streak into double digits in a much-anticipated date with the reigning Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. “It’s certainly a good storyline,” agreed Flames head coach Glen Gulutzan. “I said to our guys this morning, ‘We know who they are. They’re the Stanley Cup champions.’ But they know who we are now, too. And I think it’s going to set up to be one heck of a game. “The world’s best players are here tonight. It will be a great challenge.” The Flames extended their win spree with Saturday’s 3-0 triumph over the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Center, Brian Elliott’s second straight shutout. It’s no surprise that Elliott, who hasn’t allowed a goal in his past 128:28 of action, will be back between the pipes against the Penguins. With a nine-game tear, the Flames have already erased the previous local record. In Monday’s meeting with Crosby & Co., they have a shot at matching the franchise mark — a 10-game roll by the Atlanta Flames early in the 1978-79 campaign. The Penguins aren’t exactly slumping, either. Despite a slew of injuries, they’ve won five in a row and are aiming to compete a sweep of western Canada after knocking off the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers and then blanking the Vancouver Canucks in Saturday’s late date on Hockey Night in Canada. “This is a special team coming in here,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano. “So it’s a big test for us.” “We know how skilled this team is and how fast they are,” echoed centre Sam Bennett. “They have some unbelievably talented guys on that team.” None more talented, of course, than No. 87. Although he hasn’t tickled twine in his past seven contests, Crosby still leads the loop with 34 goals. He ranks third among all NHLers with 72 points this season. Evgeni Malkin is no slouch, either. He’s scored six times in his past five outings. The Flames have also been filling the net. They’ve outscored their opponents 34-15 during their nine-game run, with five guys — Johnny Gaudreau, Sean Monahan, Dougie Hamilton, Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik — averaging a point-per-game or better during that stretch. “I think we’re prepared for a challenging game here tonight, a fast-paced game,” Crosby said after Monday’s morning skate at the Saddledome. “The way the two teams want to play, I think whoever can get it out of their end the quickest and control puck possession, as far as in the offensive zone, will give themselves a better chance to win.” Matt Murray delivered a 30-save shutout in Vancouver, but Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to be Pittsburgh’s starter in Calgary. FLAMES’ PROJECTED LINEUP FORWARDS Johnny Gaudreau-Sean Monahan-Micheal Ferland Matthew Tkachuk-Mikael Backlund-Michael Frolik Kris Versteeg-Sam Bennett-Troy Brouwer Lance Bouma-Matt Stajan-Alex Chiasson 1052642 Carolina Hurricanes Islanders: Travel to Carolina for the second game of a home-and-home on Tuesday.

Hurricanes: Return home to face the Islanders at PNC Arena. Hurricanes spoil Isles' homecoming with 8-4 win News Observer LOADED: 03.14.2017

BY CHRISTIAN ARNOLD Associated Press MARCH 13, 2017 11:25 PM

Jaccob Slavin and the Carolina Hurricanes ruined the ' awaited homecoming with an offensive barrage Monday night. Slavin recorded his first NHL hat trick, Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk each scored twice and Carolina beat New York 8-4 to snap the Islanders' 11- game home point streak. Slavin's third goal came late in the third period on a shot that sneaked through the legs of Thomas Greiss. "It feels pretty good. It's obviously nice to score some goals," Slavin said. "They don't come by a lot for myself. ... It's definitely nice to get those three in." Joakim Nordstrom also scored for the Hurricanes, and Cam Ward made 23 stops. Ryan Strome, Stephen Gionta, Calvin de Haan and Joshua Ho-Sang scored for the Islanders. Jean-Francois Berube made nine saves on 13 shots before being pulled in the second period, and Greiss made 16 saves in relief. New York capped a nine-game trip on Saturday at St. Louis and returned to Barclays Center with its longest home point streak since 1982. There was no home-ice advantage in this one, though, as Carolina broke things open with four straight goals during the second period. The Islanders led 3-2 before Carolina's burst, which began when Faulk tied it 6:51 into the period. Skinner and Faulk then scored 56 seconds apart, with Skinner going five- hole to beat Berube at 8:02 and Faulk beating Greiss on the goalie's first shot at 8:58. Slavin added his second goal at 11:45 after forcing Brock Nelson to turn over the puck in the offensive zone. "You want to have good responses when the other team gets the lead," Skinner said. "You're sort of fighting to get back in it. Some nice plays individually, obviously (Slavin's) short-handed goal was a pretty nice individual effort. It's nice on the road to be able to have a response like that." Ho-Sang pulled the Islanders back within two goals at 13:50 of the period, but Skinner tallied his second goal of the night at 3:43 of the third on a penalty shot to put Carolina back up by three goals. In the first period, Strome put New York ahead before Slavin and Nordstrom scored 26 seconds apart for a 2-1 Hurricanes lead. Gionta tied it late in the first and de Haan put New York ahead early in the second. "The first seven minutes, I thought we would win 8-0," Islanders interim coach Doug Weight said. "We got the puck in and we were moving our feet in the offensive zone. We looked like we hadn't missed a beat, and that was it. The last 53 was completely an about-face. ... We were just bad all over the ice, goaltenders included. There's no hiding this one that's for sure." The Islanders and Hurricanes will play the second leg of a home-and- home on Tuesday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. The two sides quickly departed Brooklyn with an impending snowstorm expected to hit the region. NOTES: The Islanders scratched C Alan Quine, C Shane Prince, D Scott Mayfield and D Johnny Boychuk. Quine has missed seven games with an upper-body injury and Boychuk has been out of four games with a lower body injury. ... Ho-Sang appeared in his first game at home for the Islanders. ... Carolina F Lucas Wallmark made his NHL debut. The 21- year-old leads AHL Charlotte in goals this season with 21. ... LW Brock McGinn missed his sixth game for Carolina with an upper-body injury, and Phillip Di Giuseppe missed his third game with an upper-body injury. D Ryan Murphy and LW Valentin Zykov were also scratched for the Hurricanes. UP NEXT 1052643 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks sign Anthony Louis to two-year deal

Chris Hine

For the second consecutive day, the Blackhawks have agreed to a contract with one of their 2013 draft picks. The Hawks and forward Anthony Louis agreed to a two-year deal that runs through the 2018-19 season. Louis, a native of Winfield, Ill., who was a sixth-round pick in the 2013 entry draft, will report to Rockford. His signing comes a day after the Hawks inked 2013 third-round pick John Hayden to a deal that runs through the 2017-18 season. Louis is an undersized forward at 5-foot-7 but packs some scoring ability. He scored 14 goals and tallied 25 assists in his senior season at Miami University of Ohio. He also won four state championships with the Chicago Mission. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052644 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks want rookie John Hayden to bring physical presence

Chris Hine

Blackhawks forward John Hayden is clamoring to get on the ice for his new team, so much so that he volunteered to play goaltender if that's what coach Joel Quenneville wanted him to do. "I'll play any position," Hayden said. "It's my job to come here and work hard, and I'll help however I can." The Hawks aren't asking the world of Hayden, but they would like the rookie to play on a wing and be the physical presence they expected when they drafted him in the third round in 2013. The Hawks on Sunday announced Hayden's signing through the 2017-18 season, and he was with the team as it departed for Montreal on Monday. It has been a whirlwind few days for Hayden, who recently left his college team at Yale. Helping the transition is the fact Hayden knows most of the Hawks' younger players such as Nick Schmaltz, Ryan Hartman and Trevor van Riemsdyk. Quenneville said Hayden is likely to play during the upcoming three- game trip, though it was unlikely he would play Tuesday against the Canadiens. He is in line to make his debut Thursday against the Senators or Saturday against the Maple Leafs after he gets in a few practices with the Hawks. Hayden said he has been working on his skating ability since the Hawks drafted him but doesn't want to alter his game from college. "I play a physical, hard-working game at the college level, and I plan on doing the same thing here," Hayden said. "I'll take all the advice I can get ... and hopefully make it as seamless a transition as possible." There was some question of whether Hayden would sign with the Hawks or become a free agent in August, but he said there was "never a doubt" he would sign. Another prospect signed: While they welcomed Hayden, the Hawks reached another deal with a prospect from the 2013 draft. The Hawks and forward Anthony Louis agreed to a two-year deal through the 2018-19 season. The sixth-round pick from Winfield will report to Rockford. An undersized forward at 5-foot-7, Louis packs some scoring ability. He had 14 goals and 25 assists in his senior season at Miami of Ohio and helped win four state championships with the Chicago Mission. Darling good to go: Backup goaltender Scott Darling said he is ready to play after suffering an upper-body injury Feb. 3. Darling made the trip to Montreal, though Corey Crawford is expected to start Tuesday. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052645 Chicago Blackhawks

Tuesday's matchup: Blackhawks at Canadiens

Staff

TV/radio: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday; CSN, WGN-AM 720 Storylines: The Hawks will face familiar foe Andrew Shaw for the second time; the ex-Hawk has 10 goals and 14 assists. The Hawks defeated the Canadiens 3-2 on Nov. 13 at the United Center. Trending: After making a season-high 42 saves against the Wild on Sunday, Corey Crawford will face his hometown team. Crawford is 6-0-2 against the Canadiens with a .951 save percentage and 1.49 goals- against average. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052646 Chicago Blackhawks

How Johnny Oduya could be big boost to Blackhawks' penalty kill

Chris Hine

When Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman made the trade to bring back Johnny Oduya from the Stars, one of the reasons he gave was that it could boost the Hawks' penalty kill. "It can be problematic sometimes when one of your (other) top defensemen takes a penalty," Bowman said. "Then you're looking for guys that you have confidence in. Johnny's really strong in that area. He can match up." So it was ironic that the first penalty the Hawks had to kill in Oduya's debut Thursday against the Ducks was a penalty on Oduya. The Hawks' kill got off to a historically bad start when it seemed as if there was no stopping opponents from scoring on the power play. Because of that, the Hawks' kill dug itself into a deep statistical hole. Headed into Monday, the Hawks had a kill rate of 77.7 percent, only 27th in the league. But if you take out that bad start and look at the kill rate beginning Jan. 1, the picture is much better. Since then the Hawks have killed 81.7 percent of their penalties – good for eighth. "Both of our special teams can be better and they have to be better down the stretch and in the playoffs if we want to keep playing for a long time this postseason," captain Jonathan Toews said. "Penalty kill is a big part of that. Obviously we had some great goaltending across the board but there's always room for improvement." Enter Oduya. The Hawks will be looking to him and defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson to be their shutdown defensive pairing on the kill. They had just one in Sunday's victory over the Wild, but it was one of the easiest looking kills the Hawks have had all season. "He just adds a lot of depth in the back end," Hjalmarsson said. "He's used to playing a lot of penalty kill (time) and I'm more than comfortable playing with him as well so it's a big boost." Oduya brings many of the same qualities to the kill as Hjalmarsson does, namely his ability to block shots. Oduya's 2.3 blocked shots per game rank 11th in the league while Hjalmarsson if fifth at 2.6. "He definitely pays the price blocking shots and he has a good stick to always helps out too," Hjalmarsson said. "He knows when to pressure the opponents when they don't have puck control and knows those pressure points are keys to not letting them have easy (offensive zone) entries." Added Toews: "It's one of those things (Oduya) takes pride in, blocking shots, getting pucks out of the zone, all those little things. He'll be ready to do his job and ready to pick up where he left off a few years ago." At least that's Bowman's plan. Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052647 Chicago Blackhawks

A heal-good story: Darling returns early for Blackhawks

By Brian Hedger | For the Sun-Times 03/13/2017, 11:16PM

Scott Darling is a fast healer. The Blackhawks’ backup goalie was supposed to miss three weeks with an upper-body injury but has returned after only 10 days. Darling will back up Corey Crawford on Tuesday in Montreal for the start of a three- game trip. “I was lucky it didn’t take the full three weeks like we thought,” said Darling, who was injured March 3 in a morning skate at the United Center. “I’m back and ready to go. I don’t know if I’m going to play [on the trip], but if they need me, I’m ready to go.” Coach Joel Quenneville didn’t rule out playing Darling this week but didn’t say he would. Darling has worked with goaltending coach Jimmy Waite recently and feels ready. Blackhawks goalie Scott Darling poke-checks the puck away from the Penguins' Patric Hornqvist. | Charles Rex Arbogast/AP He also became the NHL’s leader in save percentage (.931) by percentage points over Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk. Darling has 26 appearances to Dubnyk’s 54, but 22 is the minimum to be ranked. Each goalie is listed at .931, but Darling just edged ahead after Dubnyk allowed two goals on two shots Sunday against the Hawks. “I didn’t do the math,” Darling said. “It’s cool. You can take it for what it is. It’s a small sample size, but it’s cool to see your name alongside [Braden Holtby], Dubnyk and [Sergei Bobrovsky].” Hawks sign Louis On Monday, the Hawks signed forward Anthony Louis, who completed his senior season at Miami of Ohio recently with career highs in goals (14) and points (39). The Hawks selected Louis, 22, in the sixth round of the 2013 draft. He had 46 goals and 80 assists in 145 games for Miami and will report to Rockford. Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052648 Chicago Blackhawks

Yale’s Hayden makes smart move to join Hawks, pass on free agency

By Brian Hedger | For the Sun-Times 03/13/2017, 11:10PM

John Hayden could’ve taken the same path that landed Kevin Hayes and Jimmy Vesey on the Rangers. Instead, the 6-3, 217-pound power forward from Yale is eager to begin his career with the Blackhawks, who selected him in the third round of the 2013 draft. Hayden, 22, joined the Hawks on Monday at the United Center, a day after signing a two-year contract, and is expected to make his debut this week. “I’ve been following the team all year,” Hayden said. “Any kid wants to be here, and I’ve been working hard for this. I owe all my [Yale]teammates and coaches and family and friends all the credit in the world. They’ve been pretty supportive, so it’s surreal, and I’m excited to get started.” That’s a different outlook compared to Hayes and Vesey after their college careers ended in 2014 and 2016, respectively. Neither signed with the teams that drafted them — Hayes was selected in the first round of the 2010 draft by the Hawks. John Hayden (21) is 6-3, 217 pounds and plays a physical game. Coach Joel Quenneville says the Blackhawks don’t have a lot of guys who play that way. | Rick Scuteri/AP Each wound up with the Rangers after using the “four-year rule” of the NHL’s collective-bargaining agreement to become free agents. The rule requires teams to sign their picks within four years of drafting them. Hayden could’ve used it, too, had he waited until Aug. 15 without signing. “There was never a doubt since I was drafted that this is where I would sign,” Hayden said emphatically. “It’s such a first-class organization, and there’s a winning culture here. I’m very excited to learn from the staff and, obviously, the leadership [group] here.” Hayden was Yale’s captain this season and played right wing. He had career highs in goals (21), assists (13) and points (34) and was named a candidate for the 2017 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s MVP. Now he’ll get a chance to battle for a bottom-six role among Hawks forwards, likely debuting Thursday in Ottawa. Coach Joel Quenneville said Hayden could also play Saturday in Toronto. “Playing the way he plays, I think that helps him,” Quenne-ville said, citing Hayden’s size and physical style. “We don’t have a lot of guys who play that way, so it could be a nice fit for both of us, and we’re looking forward to seeing how he handles it.” Quenneville also is eager to see how other Hawks forwards handle his presence. Five are vying for two open bottom-six spots each game. “That can be good, and it can be negative,” Quenneville said. “I find that the guys who don’t play on a regular basis are equally important to the chemistry around your team, and their attitudes are very important to the health of your team, as far as knowing there’s support by these guys. “We don’t expect you to be happy not playing, but let’s make sure when you’re around here, you’re a good teammate and you’re pushing and working in practice, and off the ice, to make sure that you’re good and ready to come in and help out.” Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052649 Chicago Blackhawks "I find that the guys who don't play on a regular basis are equally important to the chemistry around their team, and their attitudes are very important to the health of your team," Quenneville said. "At the same Hayden brings confidence to Chicago Blackhawks time, I know everybody wants to play and they all want to play in the worst way.

"We don't expect you to be happy not playing. But let's make sure when John Dietz you're around here, you're a good teammate and you're pushing and working in practice. (Also) off the ice, make sure that you're good and updated: 3/13/2017 7:55 PM ready to help out. "And when you do get in, you try and stay in there." The first thing you notice about John Hayden is his size. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 The Chicago Blackhawks winger, who signed a two-year deal Sunday, isn't at all like many of the other young players who have made an impact this season, and he plans to use his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame to his advantage. Scouting report Blackhawks vs. Montreal Canadiens at Centre Bell, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday TV: Comcast SportsNet Radio: WGN 720-AM The skinny: Montreal has won seven of eight, with 4 of those wins in overtime. The Hawks beat Montreal 3-2 to hand the Canadiens just their second loss of the season on Nov. 13 when Marian Hossa and Patrick Kane scored less than five minutes apart in the second period to wipe out a 2-1 deficit. … Max Pacioretty leads Montreal with 33 goals. He scored twice in the team's 4-1 victory Sunday at Edmonton. … Former Hawks Andrew Shaw and Phillip Danault have 10 goals each. Shaw has 3 goals in the last 10 games, but Danault hasn't scored in the last 21. The other thing you notice? Just his complete and utter confidence while fielding questions inside the Blackhawks' dressing room before the team took off for Montreal on Monday to begin a three-game road trip. Most answers were brief and to the point -- but the Yale product looked each reporter square in the eyes and was completely at ease. Two quick examples: • It can take awhile to get used to playing in the Hawks' system. What about your game might meld quickly in how they like to play? "I don't plan on changing my game at all. I play a physical, hardworking game at the college level, and I plan on doing the same thing here. I'll take all the advice I can get … and hopefully make it as seamless a transition as possible." • Any doubt you would sign here? You could have been a free agent in August. "There was never a doubt since I was drafted that this is where I would sign. It's such a first-class organization, and there's a winning culture here. I'm very excited to learn from the staff and obviously the leadership here." Now, if this confidence translates to the ice, all the better for the Hawks. Coach Joel Quenneville hopes to play the gritty Hayden once or twice on this trip, with his first chance likely coming Thursday at Ottawa. "We don't have a lot of guys that play that way, so it could be a nice fit for both of us, and we're looking forward to seeing how he handles it," Quenneville said. With the playoffs approaching, this could be an awfully tough time for a college kid to join a Stanley Cup contender, but Hayden said "it's part of the business." The 22-year-old believes the transition will go smoother because he's already friends with guys such as Nick Schmaltz, Ryan Hartman and Trevor van Riemsdyk. "Helps a ton," said Hayden, whom the Hawks took in the third round of the 2013 draft. "I've obviously talked to a few of the guys that I know, and everybody else has done a great job of introducing themselves. Everyone's been tremendously nice and I'm excited to be here." Adding Hayden, who scored a career-high 21 goals this season at Yale, obviously further complicates the situation among the bottom six forwards. With Ryan Hartman, Marian Hossa, Tanner Kero and Marcus Kruger all essentially locks to play every night, it leaves just two spots open for Hayden, Tomas Jurco, Andrew Desjardins, Jordin Tootoo and Dennis Rasmussen. Quenneville and his staff love competition, but this late in the season additions like Hayden and Jurco can sometimes disrupt a team's chemistry, on and off the ice. 1052650 Chicago Blackhawks

Darling excited for swift return to net

John Dietz updated: 3/13/2017 7:55 PM

Nobody would say exactly how Scott Darling came back so quickly from an upper-body injury that was supposed to cost the Blackhawks' goalie three weeks, but he is certainly thrilled to be on the three-game road trip that begins Tuesday in Montreal. Darling wouldn't go into details of what happened as the team closed out its morning skate on March 3 before taking on the Islanders that night. It was strange that he didn't come into the dressing room, however, and reporters were told of the injury after the game. "It definitely didn't feel good and I knew something was wrong," Darling said. "I got right off the ice, and the doctors assessed me and checked me out, and knew what it was pretty quick." Darling isn't concerned about regaining his form when coach Joel Quenneville calls his number. "I've been working hard the last couple days since I've been on the ice with Jimmy (Waite)," Darling said, "and fortunately it wasn't too long. It's not like I missed a month or two. Hoping to just jump back into it." Must be better: During most of February, almost nobody on the Hawks was hotter than Nick Schmaltz, but the rookie winger has stumbled a bit lately. Not only has Schmaltz not recorded a point in the last three games after missing two contests due to illness, but he also committed a turnover Sunday that led to a Mikael Granlund goal early in the third period. That slip up allowed Minnesota to close the gap to 3-2 in a game the Hawks would go on to win 4-2, but coach Quenneville moved Schmaltz to the fourth line for a shift and then sat him for over nine minutes. "The past few games I think I can be a little better," Schmaltz said. "But for the most part I think I'm playing pretty well with the puck and coming back and playing hard in my own end. Hopefully I can continue to get better and not be satisfied." Quenneville did play Schmaltz with Jonathan Toews and Richard Panik again later in the third period, then had him on the ice for almost two minutes with the Hawks on the power play at the end of the game. Slap shots: The Hawks on Monday signed Anthony Louis to a two-year deal that runs through the 2018-19 season. Louis, a sixth-round pick by the Hawks in 2013 and a Winfield native, will report to Rockford. He just finished his senior season at Ohio, posting career highs in goals (14) and points (39). … The Hawks are 37-2-0 when the score 3 or more goals. … Last Friday in Detroit, Duncan Keith became the eighth player in franchise history to play 900 games with the Hawks. He said it: "It's cool. You can take for what it is -- I mean it's a small sample size. But it's definitely cool to see your name alongside those other guys." Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052651 Chicago Blackhawks

March Madness hits Blackhawks

John Dietz updated: 3/13/2017 7:45 PM

Before boarding a plane to Montreal for their game Tuesday, Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell and coach Joel Quenneville were asked if they would be filling out NCAA Tournament brackets. They said yes … although both admitted their sheets may not last very long. "I used to be a little bit more aware," Quenneville said. "Now I have no clue. Kind of the way I bet horses (laughs)." Campbell said he's "going to wear purple" and is definitely picking Northwestern to win its first-round game over Vanderbilt on Thursday. As for the rest of his bracket? He may ask for a little help from Chicago radio and TV personality David Kaplan. "I'll say, 'Hey, Kap -- I'll split the winnings with you if you fill out my bracket for me," Campbell said. "I know he knows his college basketball. I haven't asked him yet, but that's my No. 1 prospect right now." Campbell's strategy in the past has been to see who the President of the United States is picking, but he won't have that option because President Trump isn't going to fill out a bracket. "I figure somebody's telling him something, and maybe I mix in a few things," Campbell said. Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052652 Chicago Blackhawks

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH: CRAWFORD, BLACKHAWKS VISIT PRICE, CANADIENS TONIGHT ON CSN

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 13, 2017 11:30 PM

Watch as the Blackhawks take on the Montreal Canadiens tonight on CSN and streaming live on CSNChicago.com. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. with Blackhawks Pregame Live. Then stick around after the final buzzer to watch Blackhawks Postgame Live for highlights and analysis. Five Things to WATCH: 1. Hello again, Andrew Shaw. Remember him, Chicago? Shaw had his welcoming back party at the United Center on Nov. 13 but the Blackhawks spoiled his return by beating his new club 3-2. Now they're going to his new house. Shaw has had a roller coaster season for the Canadiens, racking up by far a career- high 101 penalty minutes in only 55 games, but he's been much more disciplined and effective ever since Claude Julien took over behind the bench. He has 10 goals and 14 assists, and is logging an ice-time average of 15:09 per game. 2. Corey Crawford returns to hometown. There's no place like home. The Blackhawks play in Montreal only once per year, and Crawford has always brought his A-game against the team he grew up rooting for. In eight career NHL starts against the Canadiens, Crawford owns a 6-0-2 record with a 1.49 goals against average, .951 save percentage and one shutout. That's the highest save percentage against any other team he's faced throughout his career. Crawford is also coming off his best performance of the season in which he stopped a season-high 42 saves in a 4-2 win over Minnesota. 3. Carey Price heating up, too. On the other end of the ice there's Price, who's a former Vezina Trophy and Hart Trophy winner. After a terrific start to the season, Price cooled off big time in December and January but has really returned to form here as of late. He's won his last six starts, and has allowed only six goals on 165 shots during that span, good for a .964 save percentage. 4. American-born players chasing history. Patrick Kane made history last year by becoming the first U.S.-born player to win the Art Ross Trophy for most points and Hart Trophy for league MVP, and is right in the thick of both races again this year. He enters tonight with 73 points, trailing Connor McDavid by only two for the league lead, and could become the first player to win the scoring title in back-to-back seasons since Jaromir Jagr in 1999-2000 and 2000-2001. Max Pacioretty is also aiming to put his name in the history books by becoming the first U.S.-born player to win the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy for most goals in a season. The award was first handed out in 1998-99. Pacioretty is tied for second in the NHL with 33 goals, trailing only Sidney Crosby and Brad Marchand (35). 5. A fun finish? If there's one thing the Blackhawks and Canadiens have in common, it's that both teams turn it up in the third. They each have scored their fewest amount of goals in the first period, and most in the third period. The Canadiens have won seven of their last eight, while the Blackhawks have won 13 of their last 16. They didn't go on those runs without channeling some late-game magic. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052653 Chicago Blackhawks

BLACKHAWKS' BRIAN CAMPBELL ASKS CSN'S DAVID KAPLAN FOR HELP ON NCAA BRACKET

By CSN Staff March 13, 2017 8:30 PM

It's a fun time of year to be a sports fan. The NBA and Stanley Cup playoffs are right around the corner, as is baseball season. But over the next couple days, millions will be spending hours filling out their March Madness brackets in one of the most exciting and unpredictable tournaments in sports. Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell admits he isn't as dialed in on NCAA basketball as others, but he'll be filling out a bracket and he's looking for some help. Well, actually he's trying to find an expert that will fill one out for him and split the winnings with. "I haven't asked the person yet, but I know (David) Kaplan pretty well and I think he's a good choice to say, 'Hey Kap, I'll split the winnings with you if you fill out my bracket for me.' I know he knows his college basketball. ... That's my No. 1 prospect right now." Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052654 Chicago Blackhawks

JOHN HAYDEN EXCITED TO JOIN BLACKHAWKS, SCOTT DARLING CLEARED TO RETURN

By Charlie Roumeliotis March 13, 2017 7:30 PM

The Blackhawks are getting some ammo for the stretch run, and potentially the Stanley Cup playoffs as well. One day after inking a two-year, entry-level contract, John Hayden officially joined the team Monday and is expected to hop into the lineup at some point during the upcoming three-game road trip, likely Thursday against the Ottawa Senators. "I think he gives us a different element to our team up front," coach Joel Quenneville told reporters Monday. "Some abrasiveness, a little sandpaper, up and down type of guy, to the net, direct player and hard- working kid. I like his approach here talking to him today and where he's at, we're happy to get him signed and into the program as well." The 22-year-old forward recently concluded his senior season at Yale University, where he established career highs with 21 goals, 13 assists and 34 points in 33 games while serving as the captain. He was set to become an unrestricted free agent in August, but made it a priority to re-sign with the team that drafted him and followed his development closely throughout his collegiate career. "There was never a doubt since I was drafted that this is where I would sign," said Hayden, who was selected in the third round (No. 74 overall) of the 2013 draft. "It's such a first-class organization and there's a winning culture here, so I'm very excited to learn from the staff and obviously the leadership here." Hayden is a 6-foot-3, 223-pound versatile forward who can player either center or wing. He made life difficult for opponents in college, particularly goalies, with his strength, size and net-front presence, and is hoping to do the same in the NHL. "I like to play a pretty simple two-way game," Hayden said when asked to describe his style. "Use my size in the dirty areas of the ice, chip in offensively. But I'd like to be a physical presence. ... It's my job to come here and work hard, and I'll help however I can." In other news, Scott Darling said he has been cleared to play 10 days after suffering a reported hand injury in practice. It was initially believed that he would miss roughly three weeks, but the 28-year-old netminder recovered much quicker than expected. "I was lucky that it didn't take the full three weeks like we thought," Darling said. "I'm back and I'm ready to go. I don't know when I'm going to play, but if they need me I'm ready to go." The Blackhawks don't face another back-to-back situation until the weekend, so it's possible Darling serves as the backup for all three road games. Nonetheless, it's great news for the Blackhawks knowing their insurance option in goal is back with a busy slate to close out the regular season. The Blackhawks return to action Tuesday against the Montreal Canadiens at 6:30 p.m. on CSN. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052655 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche’s Matt Duchene on his slump: “It’s pretty crazy in terms of how bad it’s gone.”

By MATT LAYMAN | PUBLISHED: March 13, 2017 at 11:43 pm | UPDATED: March 14, 2017 at 12:47 AM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Avalanche center Matt Duchene played with yet another set of linemates Monday night. Duchene, who is now without a point in his last 11 games and was dropped to the third line in Saturday’s loss to Ottawa, skated with Mikko Rantanen and Gabe Landeskog in the 1-0 Monday night loss to the Arizona Coyotes. “I’m just coming to be the best I can be each night and work hard,” Duchene said Monday morning. “And obviously, things aren’t going well for, really, anybody right now in terms of production. And I’m probably the highlight of that. (But) it’s not for lack of effort.” In his past 25 games Duchene has one goal. Rantanen has now played eight games in a row without a point, while Landeskog has two goals in his last six games. Avs coach Jared Bednar said the team looked refreshed at its morning skate Monday but conceded the line changes were necessary to try and create a spark. The rearrangement against the Coyotes left Nathan MacKinnon centering Sven Andrighetto and Joe Colborne. “This is probably the worst (slump) I’ve ever been through,” Duchene said. “It’s been pretty crazy just in terms of how bad it’s gone. Sometimes you can’t really read too much into it and just realize it’s part of the game.” Duchene admitted that he might be pressing too hard. He also implied he could benefit from more ice time. “Usually, the more I play, the better I feel and the more into the game I get,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you’ve got to do the best with what you have.” Denver Post: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052656 Colorado Avalanche in 59 games in the AHL this season. He’ll join the team Tuesday and likely play his first NHL game Wednesday.

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Avalanche shut out in Arizona despite Calvin Pickard’s performance

By MATT LAYMAN | Special to The Denver Post PUBLISHED: March 13, 2017 at 10:56 pm | UPDATED: March 14, 2017 at 12:52 AM

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Prior to the Avalanche’s 1-0 loss at the Arizona Coyotes on Monday night, Jared Bednar praised his goaltender, Calvin Pickard. Bednar said Pickard could secure victories for Colorado, as long as the offense in front of him could produce. Hours later, Pickard proceeded to make 34 saves, including sprawling grabs and clutch stops on rebounds. But as the Avalanche were shut out and outshot 35-22, Pickard’s strong performance came in a loss. “It was right there for us,” Pickard said quietly. “But you’ve got to give them (the Coyotes) credit as well, they played a great game.” Semyon Varlamov, signed through 2018-19 with an annual cap hit of $5.9 million, hasn’t played since Jan. 17 and underwent season-ending hip surgery on Jan. 26. His backup and now No. 1, Pickard, has been up and down, but has managed two shutouts. The offense in front of him has scored the fewest goals of any team in the NHL, while only Winnipeg has allowed more goals than Colorado. As Bednar has changed his lines – most recently moving center Matt Duchene on a line with Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen – the offense is still looking for a spark. The Avalanche also went 0-for-3 on the power play on Monday. “I thought we passed up on some shots, but I think we had 24 misses, 12 in the first period. That’s too many,” Bednar said. “On some of the looks we had, looking through them in intermissions, we just missed our opportunities.” The beginning of the first period looked hopeful for the Avalanche, gifted with a four-minute power play when Coyotes defenseman Anthony DeAngelo took two penalties on the same play at 4:33. Colorado mustered three shots on that advantage, but failed to score. At 8:49, Duchene was called for interference. The Avalanche killed that penalty. The first period ended without a goal, and neither team got a shot on goal in the last 9:14 of play. In the second, 20-year-old Coyotes left wing Brendan Perlini fired a wrist- shot past Pickard. Perlini’s goal was his 13th of the season, assisted by Peter Holland and Tobias Reider. BOXSCORE: Coyotes 1, Avalanche 0 Arizona outshot the Avalanche 19-7 in that second period alone. “We missed the net on too many of our good chances, especially the first period,” Bednar said. “I felt like all of our best chances we missed on, and then when we got some good chances and good looks as the game went on, Smith was good in goal.” In the third, the Avalanche had one power play opportunity when right wing Radim Vrbata was called for tripping, but Colorado failed to score. Perlini’s goal was all the Coyotes needed as the Avalanche were shut out for the 12th time this season, with 14 games remaining tying the franchise record, set in 2008-09. In the Coyotes’ net, Mike Smith stopped all 22 shots he faced. “It’s a tough one, because I thought we were doing some good things offensively tonight,” Bednar said. “Especially, we had a good shot mentality for the most part. But you’ve got to find a way to capitalize on some of those opportunities.” Bednar added that he wasn’t sure of how his forward lines would shake up moving forward, but that he was pleased with his most recent arrangement on Monday. The Avalanche play the Detroit Red Wings at home on Wednesday night. The Avalanche also announced Monday that it recalled defenseman Anton Lindholm from the . The 22-year-old Swede, Colorado’s fifth-round draft choice in 2014, has two goals and 10 assists 1052657 Colorado Avalanche

Smith sets Coyotes' shutout record in win over Avalanche

By: JOSE M. ROMERO, Associated Press March 13, 2017 Updated: March 13, 2017 at 10:53 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mike Smith set a franchise record with his 22nd shutout, making 22 saves to back Brendan Perlini's goal and help the Arizona Coyotes beat the Colorado Avalanche 1-0 on Monday night. Perlini scored early in the second period and Smith made it stand, even through a flurry of activity in front of his own net in the final minute. Calvin Pickard stopped 34 shots for Colorado, but the Avalanche were shut out for the 12th time this season. Smith got his third shutout this season and the 33rd of his career, including five with Dallas and six with Tampa Bay. The Coyotes started without captain Shane Doan, who appeared to be shaken up in a collision during warmups with teammate Jakob Chychrun. Radim Vrbata took Doan's place on the third line until late in the first period, when Doan returned. Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052658 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets: Murray has surgery, out 4 to 6 weeks

Mar 13, 2017 at 3:21 PM Aaron Portzline

PHILADELPHIA — Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray had surgery Monday to repair his broken right hand. The recovery will likely take four to six weeks. In previous years, Murray’s season would be finished. But Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella is adamant that Murray will be seen again on the ice in 2016-17. “Oh, absolutely,” Tortorella said. “We’re going to be really diligent with him. “We’re going to get him on the ice as quickly as possible when the doctors give us the go-ahead, so he has his legs when he does get back into the lineup. We need to be really diligent there because I think he can be a really important guy" in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Murray is no stranger to missing long stretches of games because of injuries. He played all 82 games in 2015-16, but before that had his early career sidetracked by shoulder and multiple knee injuries. On Saturday, he was struck by a slap shot on the right hand early in a 5- 3 loss to Buffalo. A four-week return would put Murray back to health on April 10, the day after the Blue Jackets’ regular season ends with a game in Toronto. A six-week return would likely mean Murray would miss the first round of the playoffs. The Blue Jackets trade-deadline acquisition of veteran Kyle Quincey takes on new meaning. He’ll be a third-pairing regular with rookie Markus Nutivaara. “It turns into a pretty big deal for us now,” Tortorella said. Calvert, Anderson return Tortorella said the weekend home-and-home with Buffalo convinced him that his club needs to play faster and with more bite. It was perfect timing, then, to see left wing Matt Calvert and Josh Anderson taking regular line rushes Friday in Wells Fargo Center. Calvert, out since Feb. 19, and Anderson, who missed a week, will be in the lineup against the Philadelphia Flyers. William Karlsson will center the line. Anderson was injured March 5 in New Jersey. “The docs say one week, 10 days or two weeks,” Anderson said. “But … young blood heals quick.” “We have to get some grit back into our game,” Tortorella said. “Our coverages have been soft. We’ve allowed teams to play. I don’t think we have the bite that we need to have. “The first game I missed those guys. Those are two important guys and I felt it right away when they were out of the lineup.” Other brother's turn New Albany’s Kiefer Sherwood, who just completed his sophomore season at Miami University, is being heavily pursued by several NHL clubs with free-agent offers. Sherwood is the older brother of Kole Sherwood, who signed with the Blue Jackets two summers ago and is playing in the Ontario Hockey League. The Blue Jackets aren’t seen as a likely destination for Kiefer Sherwood, but he hasn’t decided if he wants to return to Miami for his junior season. He had 14 goals and 24 assists for the RedHawks this season. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052659 Columbus Blue Jackets

NHL | Blue Jackets 5, Flyers 3: Jackets struggle with penalties but get record 44th win

Posted at 12:01 AM Updated Mar 14, 2017 at 5:33 AM By Aaron Portzline

PHILADELPHIA — At some point soon, this Blue Jackets season will stand on its own merits, not be judged simply by a comparison with previous seasons, especially last season. But the best news to emerge Monday from a messy 5-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers at Wells Fargo Center is that the Blue Jackets set franchise records for wins (44) and points (94) in a season. And 14 games remain in the regular season. Brandon Dubinsky's power-play goal at 8:46 of the third put the Blue Jackets ahead for good, and it served as an ironic twist. The Blue Jackets nearly melted under an uncommon wave of penalties. They survived despite being short-handed a season-high eight times, including five times in the second period and — for good measure — a final time with 4:01 remaining. Cam Atkinson scored twice and rookie defenseman Zach Werenski had a goal and an assist to lead the Blue Jackets; Sam Gagner also scored a goal. Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 23 saves, improving to 7-1-0 against his former club. Former Blue Jackets goaltender Steve Mason, probably in his last season with the Flyers, had 24 saves. As in Saturday's game in Buffalo, where the Blue Jackets jumped to a 3- 0 lead, they threatened to pull away early against the Flyers. Gagner, who spent a difficult 2015-16 season in Philadelphia, scored only 7:42 into the game. One minute later, Atkinson scored on a rare 2-on-0 breakaway — Brandon Saad was trailing the play with not a Flyer in sight — to make it 2-0. It was Atkinson's 31st goal of the season. The Flyers got one of the goals back late in the first period, then watched the Blue Jackets begin a parade to the penalty box in the first minute of the second. The Blue Jackets were short-handed five times in the second period, spending 9:36 of the 20 minutes down at least one skater. The Flyers also had 21 seconds with a 5-on-3 advantage. The Flyers scored only one power-play goal — Brayden Schenn made it 2-2 at 4:23 — and they scored 30 seconds after the Blue Jackets had killed a double-minor high-sticking penalty to Seth Jones. Travis Konecny's second goal of the game gave the Flyers a 3-2 lead at 11:03. Werenski's 10th goal of the season, scored at 14:30 of the second, allowed the Blue Jackets to escape the period with a 3-3 tie. Dubinsky's one-timer on the power play was his 10th goal of the season, and it gave the Blue Jackets the lead for good. After a few nervy moments, Atkinson scored an empty-net goal — his 32nd of the season — with 20.9 seconds left to cap the scoring. Werenski, who has 43 points this season, surpassed Rick Nash's franchise rookie scoring record last week. Monday's performance leaves him two goals shy of Bryan Berard's franchise goal mark (12) for defensemen and eight points shy of James Wisniewski's points record (51) for defensemen. Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052660 Columbus Blue Jackets

Quincey steps into spotlight as Blue Jackets visit Flyers

TSX / STATS Mar 13, 2017 at 3:33p ET

The Columbus Blue Jackets added some blue-line depth at the NHL trade deadline by acquiring veteran defenseman Kyle Quincey from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for defenseman Dalton Prout. Beginning Monday night in Philadelphia, they’ll see just how valuable that trade was. According to the Columbus Post-Dispatch, Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray suffered a broken right hand when he was struck by a Tyler Ennis slapshot in the first period of Columbus’ 5-3 loss in Buffalo on Saturday and is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the regular season. Murray has played in 60 of the Blue Jackets’ 67 games this season and has two goals, nine assists and is a plus-3 while averaging 18:20 of ice time, including 1:52 on the penalty kill. Quincey. 31, is expected to take Murray’s spot on the Blue Jackets’ third defense pairing and their second penalty-kill unit. The Blue Jackets’ loss to the Sabres was a tough one, considering they built an early 3-0 first-period lead. They also received a scare when leading scorer Cam Atkinson (30 goals, 57 points) needed 17 stitches to close a gash in his shoulder after taking a skate blade following a check from Sabres forward Marcus Foligno. Atkinson returned to finish the game. “I definitely have a couple of guardian angels looking out for me,” Atkinson told the Columbus Post-Dispatch. “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.” The Blue Jackets allowed five unanswered goals in the loss, which snapped a three-game win streak. The Blue Jackets (43-18-6, 92 points) hold the third spot in the Metropolitan Division standings and would face the second-place Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoff if the postseason started today. Their next three games are against teams fighting for the eighth and final playoff berth in the East: the Flyers, Panthers and Islanders. The Flyers (31-28-8, 70 points) are coming off Saturday’s crushing 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, a game decided by Drew Stafford’s goal off of Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning with 5.6 seconds remaining in regulation. The loss cost the Flyers a valuable point in the Eastern Conference standings, where they now sit six points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs, who hold the second wild-card berth. The Flyers are also three points behind the 10th-place Tampa Bay Lightning and five behind the ninth-place New York Islanders. “We can sit in the locker room and feel sorry for ourselves,” Flyers right wing Jakub Voracek told the Philadelphia Inquirer, “or we can get back to work.” After winning three out of four games, the Flyers have lost consecutive games to the Maple Leafs and Bruins and appear to be fading fast in their quest to return to the playoffs for a second straight season. Voracek played his first three NHL seasons in Columbus before coming to Philadelphia in exchange for Jeff Carter in 2011. Monday night’s game will also feature former Flyers winger Scott Hartnell, who was traded to the Blue Jackets in 2014 in exchange for R.J. Umberger. Hartnell, 34, has 13 goals and 21 assists for the Blue Jackets; Umberger, also 34, has not played in the NHL since recording two goals in 39 games with the Flyers last season. foxsportsohio.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052661 Dallas Stars

Even if Stars are in no man's land now, they don't want rest of season to 'dwindle away;' here's why

By Mike Heika ,

After they finished their stretches in practice at the SAP Center in San Jose on Monday morning, Stars players pulled their circle in tight and shared several minutes of private conversation. Coaches stayed near the boards while quiet discussion buzzed throughout the huddle of helmets. It was an interesting gesture for a team that was coming off an embarrassing 5-1 loss Sunday and still has 14 games remaining with little hope of making the playoffs. Tyler Seguin to donate ball hockey court to Boys and Girls Club of Collin County "It's very important," said Jason Spezza, one of the team's alternate captains. "We have 14 games left -- that's a lot of hockey. We owe it to ourselves to put forth a better effort than we had [Sunday night]. We know we have to have something to build off, and that there's a lot at stake for a lot of different guys." The Stars are in a bit of a no-man's land when it comes to mental toughness in the face of reality. No, the games probably don't mean as much when you know the playoffs are likely out of reach. Yes, they still have to play these games. "It's tough to be in this spot, but it's on all of us to be professional and keep ourselves to a high level," defenseman Dan Hamhuis said. "How we play down the stretch, it sets us up for how we start next year. If we just let the season dwindle away, I think it will be tough to start next year." Stars coach Lindy Ruff said he liked seeing the players take charge. "If the responsibility and accountability doesn't come from within, in today's game it's too tough to preach it," Ruff said. "There's a lot of frustration, but the only thing you can do is continue to do your job. Just answer the question at the end of the night: Was I hard to play against and did I do my job?" As has happened so many time this season, the Stars had a great stretch against San Jose. They were outshooting the Sharks 14-3 in a 1- 1 game, but then they had a breakdown in the offensive zone and allowed a golden scoring chance that handed all of the momentum to San Jose. "We're a team that has played really well at times, but hasn't been able to do it consistently enough. That's been the downfall of our team," Spezza said. "It seems like every game we have a great stretch like we had in the first period, but we have to string it together and be able to do it consistently. Last night was like a lot of other nights -- we make two big mistakes and they end up in the back of our net, and then we're chasing the game." But if the team couldn't find focus and consistency when the playoffs were a possibility, how can it do it when they aren't? Breaking down the NHL expansion draft: Which Stars are protected, players most likely heading to Vegas "I think the reality of our situation is that teams we are playing are going at a high clip, and if we don't hop on board and play at a high clip ourselves, we're going to have some long nights." Spezza said. Long nights that can lead to some of the worst numbers in the league. Dallas is hovering near the bottom in goals against per game, penalty kill success and shorthanded goals against. Even if it is a desperation push at the end of the season, just getting some of those numbers up would be a worthwhile endeavor. "We have 14 games, and we need to do whatever it takes to win those 14 games," captain Jamie Benn said. "The year is not over yet. We have to play as hard as we can for those 14 games." Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052662 Dallas Stars event solutions benefit from Gerflor's cutting-edge technology, history of innovation and design-forward products as an international leader in the flooring industry. Sport Court is on the web atwww.sportcourt.com, on Tyler Seguin to donate ball hockey court to Boys and Girls Club of Collin Facebook at www.facebook.com/SportCourt1974 and on Twitter County @sportcourt1974. Sport Court® is a registered trademark of Gerflor®. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.14.2017 By Mike Heika ,

FRISCO, Texas - Dallas Stars forward Tyler Seguin, in conjunction with the Dallas Stars Foundation and Pro Players Foundation, announced plans today to donate the Tyler Seguin Ball Hockey Court to Boys and Girls Club of Collin County. The Tyler Seguin Ball Hockey Court will be a multi-purpose outdoor court located at the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County location in McKinney, Texas. The court surface will be built using Sport Court®, a high-quality modular synthetic sports flooring system. Tyler will donate $50,000 to cover the entire cost of the court, which is generously being supplied by locally-based NexCourt. This is the second season Tyler has partnered with Boys and Girls Club of Collin County, as he has donated a suite at Stars home games to the group for the last two seasons and meets with all of the kids following each game they attend. "Boys and Girls Club is an important community organization and I am proud to collaborate with them," said Seguin. "Their leadership development initiatives, after school, and sports programs are valuable building blocks to enriching lives of local children. I look forward to continuing to work with their dedicated staff on future projects." Seguin, along with volunteers of the Dallas Stars Foundation and Pro Players Foundation and members of Boys and Girls Club, will assist in the construction and dedication of the court, which will take place on Sunday, March 19 at the Boys and Girls Club of Collin County located at 701 S. Church Street, McKinney, Texas, 75069. ABOUT THE DALLAS STARS FOUNDATION: The Dallas Stars Foundation was established to serve as a positive force throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. The Foundation focuses its efforts on providing support to the children of the community so they may lead quality lives and develop into contributing members of society. Through teamwork, interaction, and education, the Dallas Stars Foundation works to bring together all members of the Metroplex and build a bright future for today's youth. ABOUT PRO PLAYERS FOUNDATION: The Pro Players Foundation is a group of professional athletes and business and community leaders who volunteer their time and talents to assist disadvantaged youth. With the mission of "Enriching the Lives of disadvantaged Children across North Texas through sports and education based programs" PPF partners with professional sports teams and corporate partners through a variety of initiatives to help make sure every child has the opportunity to succeed. ABOUT BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF COLLIN COUNTY: Boys and Girls Club of Collin County provides a safe and positive place for children in the vital after school hours. The BGCCC has been meeting the needs of children in Collin County since 1968. The BGCCC's mission is to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Based on physical, emotional, cultural and social needs and interest of girls and boys, and recognizing developmental principles, the Club offers program activities in three core areas: Character & Leadership Development, Education & Career Development and Health & Life Skills. The organization currently serves over 8,000 children through its after- school, summer and outreach programs. BGCCC currently provides transportation from 69 Collin County schools and 6 community locations to its branches in McKinney, Frisco and Plano as well as an extension site at Shepton High School in West Plano. ABOUT SPORT COURT: Founded in 1974, Sport Court® is dedicated to helping families and facilities unlock the potentials of athletes that play on its patented modular sports surfaces. As the Official Court of the world's leading sports organizations, including the NCAA, FIBA, USTA, USA Volleyball and US Soccer Foundation, Sport Court has helped major sports organizations take the game to the grassroots community. Sport Court is designed to be the Safest Court in the World™ and recycles 99% of its waste and is the only company in the product category with an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). Sport Court products and 1052663 Dallas Stars Stars: Visit Edmonton on Tuesday. Sharks: Host Buffalo on Tuesday. Dallas Stars’ Benn calls downturn ‘embarrassing’ after 5-1 loss to Sharks Star-Telegram LOADED: 03.14.2017

The Associated Press

Joe Pavelski helped the San Jose Sharks deliver the perfect response to a sloppy game. Pavelski scored twice, backup goalie Aaron Dell made 29 saves to win his fourth straight start, and the Sharks rebounded from a lackluster loss to beat the Dallas Stars 5-1 on Sunday night. “We needed a bounce-back game,” Pavelski said, referring to the Sharks’ 3-1 loss to Nashville on Saturday night. “We turned over too many pucks, we weren’t committed in a lot of areas yesterday. Today, we got the response we needed from a lot of guys.” Patrick Marleau, Joel Ward and Chris Tierney also scored to give the first-place Sharks their sixth win in eight games. San Jose remained seven points ahead of Anaheim in the Pacific Division with a game in hand. Logan Couture and Paul Martin each had two assists. “It’s getting to that point in the season where we know what position we’re in as far as standings right now,” Martin said. “But for our push and the way that we want to play hockey down the stretch, we need to make sure that we’re staying at that high level.” Dell has been outstanding of late as he has given coach Peter DeBoer the confidence to rest starter Martin Jones. Dell has stopped 113 of 118 shots during his streak and improved to 6-0 at home this season. Remi Elie scored his first career goal for the Stars, who got off to a rough start to a four-game road trip. Kari Lehtonen allowed three goals on eight shots before being pulled for the second straight game in favor of Antti Niemi, who stopped 16 of 18 shots. Dallas is tied with Colorado for allowing the most goals in the NHL this season with 220. “It’s embarrassing,” captain Jamie Benn said. “It’s hard to put into words. If you’re going to play like that and have those numbers you’re not going to get too far.” The Sharks broke the game open in the second period. Couture got his second assist of the game early in the period when he set up Ward in the slot for his eighth goal. Coach Lindy Ruff then wanted to pull Lehtonen, but Niemi wasn’t ready to come into the game and had to wait until the next stoppage 25 seconds later to relieve Lehtonen. It didn’t help at all as the Sharks added to the lead midway through the period when Esa Lindell lost control of the puck at the point with Dallas on the power play. Pavelski took possession and skated in on a breakaway for his 26th goal of the year. Tierney scored on a rebound of Dylan DeMelo’s shot early in the third to seal the win. The Stars had controlled the play in the first period, outshooting the Sharks 15-6, but found themselves on the short end of the score as San Jose scored on two of its first four shots. Couture set up Marleau with a pass from the corner for the first goal early in the period. After Elie tied the game, Pavelski restored the lead late in the first when he chose to shoot on a 2-on-1 with Jannik Hansen and beat Lehtonen. “We turned the puck over in the neutral zone, that got us into trouble,” Ruff said. “You dominate a period, but you don’t put the puck in the back of the net and then you make a couple of mistakes that end up in the back of your net.” NOTES The Stars have used two goalies in an NHL-high 12 games this season. … D Marc-Edouard Vlasic played his 800th career game, joining Marleau and Joe Thornton as the only Sharks to do that. … San Jose F Melker Karlsson with a lower-body injury, giving Marcus Sorensen a spot in the lineup. UP NEXT 1052664 Dallas Stars

Dallas Stars come off beating to face motivated Edmonton in rough road trip

STAR-TELEGRAM

Stars at Oilers 8 p.m. Tuesday, Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta TV: FSSW Radio: KTCK/1310 AM and 96.7 FM Records: Stars 27-31-10, 64 points; Oilers 35-24-9, 79 points About the Stars: Dallas was thumped 5-1 on Sunday night in San Jose, Calif., by the Pacific Division-leading Sharks. Remi Elie scored his first career goal for the Stars, who got off to a rough start to a four-game road trip. Kari Lehtonen allowed three goals on eight shots before being pulled for the second straight game in favor of Antti Niemi, who stopped 16 of 18 shots. Dallas is tied with Colorado for allowing the most goals in the NHL this season with 220. “It’s embarrassing,” captain Jamie Benn said. About the Oilers: Edmonton, fourth in the Pacific Division, leads the West wild-card race, four points up on No. 2 St. Louis. The Oilers come off a 4- 1 loss to Montreal and are 3-5-1 in their last nine games. They haven’t made the NHL postseason since 2005-06, but coach Todd McClellan said he is wary of the Stars’ offensive capability. Star-Telegram LOADED: 03.14.2017

1052665 Detroit Red Wings

No firm plan yet to auction seats at Joe Louis Arena, Palace

Perry A. Farrell , Detroit Free Press Published 3:20 p.m. ET March 13, 2017 | Updated 13 hours ago

Season ticket holders at Joe Louis Arena and the Palace are going to have to wait a bit before getting a chance to buy their seats once the venues shut down for good this spring. Olympia Development, which runs the Red Wings' business operations, said it's still in the process of inventorying everything inside the arena, and it doesn't expect to formalize a deal with the city right now, said Jennifer Arapoff, director of marketing and communications at Olympia Entertainment. “We’re just a tiny bit too soon. ... I know people are so anxious for it, which is great,’’ said Arapoff. As for the Palace of Auburn Hills, there are no plans to sell anything yet, because the building's fate hasn’t been decided. Joe Louis Arena is set to be demolished and the waterfront land used for commercial development. While the Wings aren’t expected to make the playoffs, the Pistons are currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference and could be playing into late April or early May. "Nothing has been determined on the future of the Palace other than we won't be playing basketball there next year," Pistons Kevin Grigg, vice president of public relations, said Friday. Arapoff said Olympia is hoping to work with the city of Detroit to hire a third party vendor to help with an auction. “We haven’t come to a conclusion, we haven’t signed with anybody yet,’’ said Arapoff. “Between us and a third party specialist, we think we can get the public some goodies. Historically, when other arenas and stadiums have closed down or taken residence elsewhere, they’ve done a really good job. Seats are the most common item that people get excited about, understandably, especially if they’re a longtime season ticket holder. There are other items as well. “The way this works is that anything physically attached to the building is the city’s and anything we have put in -- like a picture or anything -- we, as Olympia, have brought in is ours. We’re inventorying all of our things to see what we want to bring with us to Little Caesars Arena. That ... is in process.’’ Mark Oberly, who owns an auction business in Dundee, said Red Wings items would be a hot sell initially with the Joe closing. New book available: 'The Joe: Memories from the heart of Hockeytown' “It would definitely be something I’d be interested in,’’ said Oberly. “That would work at the beginning because everyone would want some of that memorabilia. Some of that would work. Anything with Red Wings on it and anything that would have to do with the Red Wings would be a pretty good seller. When this all goes down it’s going to be hot. It’s going to be a hot item. People want to be a part of that history.’’ Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052666 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings eye lineup flexibility, may not call up defenseman

Helene St. James , Detroit Free Press Published 4:33 p.m. ET March 13, 2017 | Updated 12 hours ago

The Detroit Red Wings will revisit the decision before departing, but initial thinking is they won't call up a reserve defenseman. The Wings are scheduled to depart Tuesday afternoon for Denver, where they play Wednesday, followed by Thursday's game at the Arizona Coyotes. The Wings are down to just six defensemen, but also are down to four regular call-ups, and want to save those for later. If someone gets injured in the Avalanche game, the Wings could call up someone under emergency rules (does not count against the four) and, thanks to the three-hour time change between Detroit and Phoenix, a player could still arrive in time for the pregame meal. General manager Ken Holland told the Free Press on Monday afternoon that it was unlikely anyone would be called up before the trip. Monday was a scheduled day off. The Wings have 10 games left in March, including two sets of back-to-backs and three games in three days caused by the Dec. 19 Carolina postponement. That triple whammy, in fact, is in the middle of a stretch that will see the Wings play five games in seven days. Two more sets of back-to-backs await in April. The Wings may well need replenishment especially during the three-in- three. The 23-man roster limit is no longer in effect, and there is plenty of salary cap space because of the trade deadline departures and because Jonathan Ericsson is on long-term injured reserve. It is possible that once the Wings are eliminated from the playoff picture they will bring up some Grand Rapids Griffins players to get another look at them. Tyler Bertuzzi has 29 points in 39 games, one point shy of the 30 points it took him 71 games last season to produce. Martin Frk is having a good season with 21 goals among 43 points in 52 games. Tomas Nosek is another one who stands out – he was at nearly a point a game before missing time after getting concussed, and has 38 points overall in 47 games. Evgeny Svechnikov has worked his way up to become a top-six forward in his first pro season. One argument for leaving the players in the minors, though, is that the Griffins are having a really good season, sitting atop their division with a one-point lead over Chicago. And this comes as the Wings have refreshed their lineup liberally with players who began the season in Grand Rapids – the current influx numbers Nick Jensen, Robbie Russo, Anthony Mantha and Mitch Callahan, with Bertuzzi and Jared Coreau among previous call-ups. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052667 Detroit Red Wings “It feels good,” he said. “We played together all year last year (in Grand Rapids).

“We have pretty good chemistry, and we kind of know where we are on Miscues too often put Red Wings behind eight ball the ice. “It makes it kind of easy.” Gregg Krupa , The Detroit News Published 6:48 p.m. ET March 13, 2017 After the game, Blashill was asked to evaluate the play of Russo, 24, in | Updated 11 hours ago his early going. “I think Russo’s played good,” the coach said. “He’s managed his game Detroit — They do not score enough to make so many mistakes. pretty well. If they made fewer, they would likely score more. “I think he’s got poise with the puck.” Mix in a devastating number of injuries on a rebuilding roster and the Positive spin worst power play in the NHL, and standing 26th in a league of 30, as the It has been an even more disappointing season than the last one, and Red Wings did entering play Tuesday, is the result. Blashill has had a lot of explaining to do in his numerous sessions with The Wings have lost 30 games in regulation in consecutive seasons for the media. the first time since 1990 and 1991. Often enough, the reasons for the more frequent losses than wins are the On Friday, the Blackhawks more offensive, freer style was a better match same, and the process can get repetitive. for the Red Wings, who beat one of the Stanley Cup contenders 4-2. The But, even after losing his leading goal scorer, Thomas Vanek, and one of Rangers’ interest in occupying territory, in the neutral zone and especially his best defensemen, Brendan Smith, at the trade deadline, Blashill in front of their net, is all about limiting an opponent. clings to the thought that game-by-game improvement is the only remedy And that marked play in the Wings’ 4-1 loss Sunday. for this lineup. But their biggest problem was mistakes. The 43-year old Detroit-native, in the second-year of a four-year contract, was asked about how the season is affecting him and if the losing wears After playing one of their cleaner games, against Chicago, the Wings on him, after the loss to the Rangers. were faulty against New York. “No, no, no,” he said. “No, no. The obvious evidence was the increase in odd-man rushes allowed, and less offense. “My mindset’s a hundred percent the same as my mindset was on day one: Let’s keep getting better. Wings’ Mantha a healthy scratch again vs. Rangers “And we’re going to dig in, through the film tomorrow. We’re taking a day Jeff Blashill cautions against relying on the league statistics for off; we’ll dig in as coaches, through the film. And we’ll come Tuesday (for giveaways, saying the Red Wings rely on their own charting. practice). But the NHL off-ice officials recorded 11 giveaways against the Rangers “We’re going to get better starting Tuesday and we’ll go out and try to win and five against the Blackhawks, and it a certainly reflected the play. a game in Colorado.” Niklas Kronwall’s careless pass led to the Rangers winning goal at 16:50 Detroit News LOADED: 03.14.2017 of the second period. And 37 seconds later, after Justin Abdelkader lost the puck to J.T. Miller, the Rangers had a two-goal lead. Until then, it was shaping up like another good effort by the Wings against one of the better teams in the league. All of a sudden ... Pfffft! Abdelkader and the rookie defenseman Nick Jensen were both recorded for two giveaways, and seven other teammates one each, including Henrik Zetterberg. After the game, Zetterberg seemed intent on shouldering the blame for more. “I made some bonehead plays there in the second. I turned the puck over a few times, and they got a little momentum out of that and they scored two goals,” he said. “So, I’ve got to be better than that.” His were hardly the egregious errors. But perhaps the captain’s point was that they were far too many, regardless. Green on blue line It has been a long time since the Red Wings played, let alone regularly, with a defensive pairing so inexperienced. The game Sunday was second-year defenseman Xavier Ouellet’s 81st in the NHL, 51 this season. It was Robbie Russo’s fourth, all in the past week. Ouellet played 16:55 on 22 shifts, attempted a shot and blocked one. Russo played 15:46 on 21, with a shot on goal, four attempts, a hit and a giveaway. Both were minus-1, failing to get their deployment entirely sorted out on the Rangers’ third goal. Against the Bruins, in the notable disaster Wednesday, Blashill said Ouellet and Russo were likely the best pairing. Ouellet, 23, who has three goals, nine assists and is also a minus-1 for the season, likes the tandem. 1052668 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings' Anthony Mantha out to prove benching was mistake

Ansar Khan | on March 13, 2017 at 4:22 PM, updated March 13, 2017 at 4:32 PM

DETROIT - When Anthony Mantha was criticized by some following a shaky start to his pro career in 2014-15, it fueled his desire to improve. Similarly, Mantha is taking a chip-on-his-shoulder approach to being a healthy scratch the past two games for the Detroit Red Wings. "You need to come back strong and prove it was a mistake that you were sitting out and just come back stronger and show them you're not going to want to sit out again," Mantha told Detroitredwings.com on Sunday. The Red Wings did not practice Monday. Coach Blashill, following Sunday's 4-1 loss to the New York Rangers, declined to reveal whether Mantha will return to the lineup Wednesday at Colorado (9:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit Plus). But, chances are, he will play. Blashill cited a lack of competitiveness, particularly on the back-check and in the defensive zone, during a 6-1 loss to Boston last Wednesday as the reason for scratching Mantha. "I think he got the message after one game to be dead honest with you," Blashill said. "I think he's a great kid who wants to be better. Like everybody in life, there's a learning process to everything. I think he has the message for sure and I think he'll continue to work to become a better player and he's going to have ups and downs and bumps in the road and everything that young players do." Mantha is tied for third on the team in goals (14) and points (33), in just 50 games. "He's got a great ceiling," Blashill said. "My job is to make sure he reaches that ceiling. As him and I talked (Sunday), when you come out of the lineup, you leave the door open to not go back in, and our team played very good against Chicago (4-2 win Friday) and there was no way I was taking anybody out because of that." Andreas Athanasiou is another young player has Blashill scratched (Jan. 4) while being critical of his compete level. "It's never easy to sit out," Athanasiou said. "When I was there, I just tried to not let it get to me and just be ready when I got back in the lineup and do the best I can." Smith's triumphant return Brendan Smith had no points, two shots on goal and a delay of game penalty while logging 22 minutes Sunday for the Rangers in his return to Detroit. The Red Wings dealt the defenseman on Feb. 28 for a second-round pick in 2018 and third-round selection this year. "It was really different, just being on the opposite side," Smith said. "It was exciting to play back at the Joe again. I love playing here. It was just a little different playing against your buddies, but once the puck drops it becomes all business." Smith, wearing No. 42, greeted teammates on the ice during pregame warmup. "A couple of times some of the boys were chirping back and forth," Smith said. "It's all in good fun but once the puck dropped, it's business time." Smith has no points and a plus-3 rating in six games for the Rangers. "It's really exciting to be on a team that has been this good and are continuing to get better," Smith said. "It's an exciting moment for myself to be a part of it and contribute." Evaluating Russo Defenseman Robbie Russo has appeared in four games (no points, minus-2, averaging 15:27) since being recalled from the Grand Rapids Griffins. "I think Russo has played good," Blashill said. "He manages his game pretty well. I think he's got poise with the puck, so he does a good job of that." Michigan Live LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052669 Detroit Red Wings

Larger than life Gordie Howe statue unveiled at Hockey Hall of Fame

Ansar Khan | on March 13, 2017 at 3:13 PM, updated March 13, 2017 at 3:45 PM

Detroit Red Wings legend Gordie Howe was a larger than life figure in the hockey world. Fittingly, Mr. Hockey has been honored with a larger than life statue at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. The statue of Howe measures more than eight feet tall and stands at the entrance to the Hall of Fame. It was unveiled with the help of Howe's sons, Mark, the Detroit Red Wings director of pro scouting, and Marty. Gordie Howe, who passed away on June 10, 2016, at age 88, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 after retiring following 25 seasons with the Red Wings. He then returned to play in the World Hockey Association with sons Mark and Marty before retiring permanently in 1980, at age 52, after one final NHL season with the Hartford Whalers. Mark Howe was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. Hockey Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald officially opened the NHL Centennial Exhibit, a comprehensive tribute to the players and moments of the NHL from 1917 to 2017. Central to the exhibit is an area dedicated to the "100 Greatest NHL Players", as selected by an NHL appointed panel. Featured items in the exhibit include George Vezina's final NHL career game stick (1925), Toe Blake's sweater from the Howie Morenz Memorial Game (1937), Jacques Plante's first goalie mask worn regularly in the NHL (1959), Gordie Howe's Hart Trophy plaque (1960), Bobby Orr's knee brace (1970), Mario Lemieux's Stanley Cup jersey (1992), Wayne Gretzky's 802nd goal puck and equipment (1994), Sidney Crosby's Stanley Cup gloves (2009) and Jonathon Toews' Stanley Cup jersey (2010). Michigan Live LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052670 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings follow familiar script with self-inflicted mistakes

Ansar Khan | on March 13, 2017 at 6:02 AM, updated March 13, 2017 at 6:09 AM

DETROIT - Henrik Zetterberg's name would be far down the lengthy list of culprits for the Detroit Red Wings' latest loss, a 4-1 setback to the New York Rangers Sunday at Joe Louis Arena. Zetterberg has been by far the team's best, most consistent player during this franchise's worst season in more than a quarter century. But, like the leader he is, Zetterberg took one for the team, absorbing much of the blame on this night. "I made some boneheaded plays in the second, turned the puck over a few times," Zetterberg said. "They got full momentum out of that and scored two goals. I got to be better than that." The Rangers converted twice in a span of 37 seconds late in the second, on goals by Ryan McDonagh (his second of the game at 16:50) and Kevin Hayes at 17:27. Multiple factors led to the goals. Niklas Kronwall's pass through the neutral zone was picked off, leading to a quick transition, and too many Red Wings were caught standing around on McDonagh's tally. Hayes' goal capped an odd-man rush, one of many the Red Wings surrendered. "I thought it was a real even game at that point; I thought we had a little momentum," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "We shoot ourselves in the foot twice, for no reason. I thought up to that point we had done a pretty good job and just got to make sure we don't make those errors." Said Detroit defenseman Xavier Ouellet: "It's about details. Most of the game we played good and then there's sequences where we start turning pucks over and not doing the right thing." The Red Wings, whose lone goal came courtesy of Frans Nielsen on the power play at 5:35 of the second period, tying it 1-1, had consecutive opportunities on the man-advantage early in the third period. "This was the perfect opportunity to put us back in position in the game," Blashill said. "We got to execute better. I thought the Zetterberg unit created some. The other unit didn't do enough." Derek Stepan's power-play goal with 3:59 remaining in regulation put the game away. The Rangers (44-23-2), behind 23 saves from back-up goaltender Antti Raanta, improved their NHL-best road record to 25-9-0. The Red Wings (26-30-11) are 1-4-1 in their past six. The Red Wings, coming off a spirited 4-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks at home Friday, haven't won back-to-back games since Feb. 18-19. "It's a totally different game. it's not as fan-friendly as it was against Chicago," Zetterberg said. "Tonight, it's more of defense-first and you really got to work for your chances. Against Chicago it's more of an offensive-minded team that comes into the building. You will get chances if you're patient against them." Blashill called it a "check-fest." "I thought in the second we should have come out there with a real bigger shot advantage but we passed up shots," Blashill said. "We got to remember that shots create chaos." The Rangers opened the scoring on McDonagh's shorthanded goal with 27 seconds to play in the first period. It capped a three-on-one break. "Lots of times on shorthanded goals, your weak-side guy gets caught a little bit deep and that's what happened on the goal," Blashill said. "Although (Tomas Tatar) had a great back-check, the player on the weak-side of the ice is kind of responsible for getting back above." Said Andreas Athanasiou: "Everybody jumps up on a play like that and you've got to be ready for it. Whenever you give up a shorthanded goal it is a momentum-killer." The Red Wings took another step toward being mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. They need to finish the season 15-0 just to finish with 93 points, which enabled them to slip into the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference a year ago. Michigan Live LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052671 Edmonton Oilers seconds after Paul Byron had tied it for the Habs. When the execution isn’t there, as was the case against Montreal, the Oilers are vulnerable to the kind of thing that happened to them late in this one. Dan Barnes: Oilers need steady hands on the wheel in rough water If they let it rattle them going forward, they only compound the problem. They need solid leadership as well as better execution. DAN BARNES, EDMONTON JOURNAL “At the end of the day, all of us believe in this group and what we have done so far in this season,” said Milan Lucic, who scored Edmonton’s Published on: March 13, 2017 | Last Updated: March 13, 2017 9:01 AM only goal, with a power move down the right wall. MDT “We can’t dwell on frustration or start feeling sorry for ourselves at this time of the year. Most of all, we also can’t count on other teams to get the job done for us.” The Oilers clearly aren’t moving in the right direction, but they aren’t inching toward the panic button either. Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.14.2017 So that’s just snow falling in Edmonton, not the sky. For now. To be sure, the Oilers are in increasingly desperate need of wins. Loser points like the one they gleaned from Friday’s track meet against the Penguins aren’t going to cut it. Losses like the 4-1 shocker they suffered at the hands of Montreal on Sunday are, of course, that much worse. And if there was a common thread that tied their humdrum last 10 games together — they’re 4-5-1 over that sad span — there would be more reason to freak out. But they have lost in a variety of ways, so head coach Todd McLellan has neither cause nor intention to do anything drastic with the psyche of his team. “The effort, the want, the desire was there tonight,” he said after the loss to Montreal. “I didn’t think there was anything lazy or negligent in our game. We just didn’t execute real well. Some of our passing on the power play wasn’t crisp. And sometimes you have to give the opponent credit. So I don’t think we have to go in there and cheerlead or rant and rave or anything like that.” They’re in the early stages of an incredibly home-heavy month of March, but playing in the cosy confines of Rogers Place is only an advantage if you make it so. And yes, the opposition has something to say about it. So too the fans on this night, many of whom were bathed in the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge of the Habs. But that’s just noise. The bigger issue was on the ice, where the Canadiens weren’t giving up much time and space, and the Oilers weren’t creating enough on their own. The effort was there, as McLellan said, but the offensive execution was dreadful. The Oilers were stymied in a tight defensive game. They need to find a way to win a game like that, in a month like this, because that’s how hockey is played most often in March. The Oilers haven’t played this kind of hockey, meaningful that is, for a decade, so there are lessons to be learned on the fly. So a team with precious little experience in meaningful games needs access to some uncanny maturity. Older players like Matt Hendricks and Milan Lucic, those who have seen action in the post-season and know what it takes to get there, can help out. That said, they are still a playoff team and have reason to act like it on and off the ice. “We’re a confident group,” said Hendricks. “We’re going through a lull right now, going through tough times. I just think everything magnifies this time of year. Teams go through bad times any other time of the season, it isn’t going to be as magnified as it is right now. So we’ve got to be a little bit more mature than our years right now. We need to swallow this one and talk about it.” They will need to shut out the external noise too, because the panic level around this hockey-mad burg is going to rise if they fall. They’re three points back of Anaheim and one behind Calgary, which also means they’re the first wild-card team in a tight Western Conference. And St. Louis is one of those objects that is much, much closer than it appears in the Oilers’ rear-view mirrors. The Blues are just four points back, and have a game in hand. The Oilers are keenly aware of their circumstances, that’s a must, but they need to concentrate on their own effort and execution and play some winning hockey sooner than later. Taking more control of their own destiny is imperative. So too taking care of all the little details that win and lose games and points. “There’s been a bunch of different issues on different nights,” said Hendricks. “You know, our penalty kill hasn’t been great, but it’s done well the last two games, knock on wood. Tonight it was a bad bounce on a stick.” A Max Pacioretty shot toward the Oilers net hit Oscar Klefbom’s stick and caromed past Cam Talbot for a shocking 2-1 Montreal lead, just 69 1052672 Edmonton Oilers And don’t freak out about it because it happens to the best of them. “You look at (Alex) Ovechkin right now,” said Lucic. “He’s gone 10 games without a goal. Those things happen. Sometimes it’s a bounce, but it’s Draisaitl looking to step up his game for Oilers stretch drive doing the little things to create that bounce. “We have confidence that he’ll turn it around.” Robert Tychkowski Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Published on: March 13, 2017 | Last Updated: March 13, 2017 6:53 PM MDT

Leon Draisaitl will be the first to tell you his game has slowed a bit since he was tearing up the NHL with the kind of force that had opposition coaches mentioning him in the same breath as Connor McDavid. Not that anyone needs to be told. When you’re as vital to a team’s success as the 21-year-old forward is to the fortunes of the Edmonton Oilers, people notice immediately when something seems off. And something definitely seems off with Draisaitl, both on the stats sheet – where he has just three goals in the last five weeks – and on the ice, where that extra jump in his step is a little harder to notice. “I haven’t been good lately and I know that, I’m well aware of that,” he said after off-ice meetings at the rink Monday to prepare for the Dallas Stars’ visit on Tuesday. “Every player goes through something like that. No player ever had a year where the whole year went the way he wants it to go. That’s just the way this game is, this league is. I’ve learned that over the last couple of years.” Draisaitl knows as well as anyone that nobody’s hand stays hot forever. He started this season, his best with the Oilers, with three goals in his first 16 games before going wild on the goalies for 17 in his next 36. And even during that run, there was an eight game stretch where he didn’t score. Goals are a fickle thing sometimes, and you can play well without getting them. So while head coach Todd McLellan doesn’t think Draisaitl’s funk is as deep as the numbers suggest, he has noticed a slight drop in certain key areas. “It’s the actual input into the game and whether you’re generating chances or opportunities,” said McLellan. “He’s still doing that, but maybe not at the same rate he was before and maybe he’s giving up a little too much the other way. “We’ll help him as much as we can. He’ll be important down the stretch.” That’s what has everyone worried. Draisaitl might be the most important player on the team not named McDavid or Cam Talbot. But with the total stalled at 23 and the playoffs fast approaching, fans are nervous, wondering when he’s going to snap out of it and return to the dynamic, net-filling form that’s going to cost the Oilers a lot of money this summer. “I have to be better and I’m more than confident in myself that I can do that,” said Draisaitl, not thrilled with the line of questioning but answering from the heart nonetheless. “For me, it’s just a matter of getting back to what I’m good at. I’m going to make sure I start Tuesday.” Between an Olympic qualifying tournament in Latvia in late August, a deep run at the World Cup of Hockey and heavy minutes in all 68 games for the Oilers this year, it’s been a long haul that for the third-year pro that McLellan thinks might finally be catching up. “A little bit of his play is based on fatigue,” said the coach. “He’s played more hockey than probably anybody in the league. The biggest thing we can do for him is rest him both physically and mentally. Thus he’s not skating (Monday). We believe he’ll get back to where he was before.” There isn’t a lot of down time between now and the finish line, though. So it will be up to Draisaitl to find a way to elevate his game down the stretch and beyond. “He’s hard on himself right now and I think that sticks with him a little longer than maybe it should,” said McLellan. “You have to put the bad ones behind you and look forward.” Milan Lucic, who has three goals and two assists in his last six games – after six points in the previous 19 – believes the key to breaking out of a slump is to simply grind it out. “Sometimes less is more,” he said. “Get back to the basics, keep it simple. Get your feet moving a little more, shoot the puck a little harder, getting the puck out of the D-zone as a winger.” 1052673 Edmonton Oilers DALLAS IN TOWN According to the standings, the 26th place Dallas Stars are exactly what the Oilers need to regain their stride. Veterans telling fellow Oilers to enjoy the bumpy ride But McLellan isn’t so happy to see Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn that he’s offering to pick them up at the airport. Robert Tychkowski “Dallas is an offensive time bomb,” he said. “They have the ability to Published on: March 13, 2017 | Last Updated: March 13, 2017 10:12 PM explode at any point and score a ton of goals, so we’ll have our hands full MDT with that.” Besides, there are no easy games when you’re fighting for a playoff spot in March. For a city that has spent 10 sad years watching ship after ship crash on the sharp rocks of failure, the first few games of the Edmonton Oilers “The competition we’ve played over the last little bit has been top notch stretch drive have some fans fearing the worst. teams and they’ve pushed us,” said McLellan. “We’ve pushed back, just ended up on the short end.” But for a veteran of 101 playoff games and two Stanley Cup finals: This is awesome, man! Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Oilers fans might not be crazy about how tense the Pacific Division race has become after Edmonton’s recent 3-5-1 stumble, but Milan Lucic is loving every minute of the dogfight. He says everyone in Edmonton, inside the dressing room and out, should embrace this high-stakes drama with both arms. This is what hockey is all about. “The main thing is you have to trust in yourself, trust in the system and come and have fun with it,” said the Oilers winger. “It’s a fun time of year. It’s almost spring time – even though it doesn’t feel like it. “As a competitor, this is the time of year you want to be playing in games like this.” Head coach Todd McLellan has also been around long enough to know this is not the time to be sounding alarm bells. Yes, he thinks the Oilers have to be better, but he doesn’t believe it will take much to get there. “Things are not going great, they’re not going the way we want as far as results,” he said. “But if you look at a few of the games on the home stand, I thought we played well against Detroit, exceptional against Pittsburgh. “Last game (4-1 loss to Montreal) our execution wasn’t where it needs to be, but panic and apprehension isn’t going to help our group. We have to learn to navigate our way through the ups and downs.” Even though it looks like the standings are closing in on them with Calgary, Anaheim, St. Louis and Los Angeles making threatening moves, the message in the room is still one of confidence and control. “Every team goes through a phase like that,” said Draisaitl, adding the Oilers have already pulled out of worse dives than this this year. “It’s more important that we worry about ourselves more than the other teams. “It’s about us, it’s in this group. We’re more than capable of getting out of it and banking some points.” That’s the message Lucic and the other playoff veterans are stressing right now: No matter what happened last game, or the last eight, all that matters is the next one. “It’s getting the guys to realize that you can’t look too far down the road, even though now it is a sprint,” said Lucic. “Worry more about the process, the system. What’s made you a good team up to this point, other than wins and losses? “It is a mindset that you have to come to the rink with. Having that swagger, that confidence. Ask all the good teams what separates them: It’s having that mindset, and showing up to the rink with it.” STATUS QUO With first line production tailing off a bit, the thought of changing things up has definitely crossed McLellan’s mind, but he’s worried it might disrupt chemistry elsewhere. With the Triple Six line of Lucic, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins starting to generate offence, messing with it doesn’t make a lot of sense. “It’s been talked about and debated a lot,” said McLellan. “We’ve had some good hockey out of Nuge, Ebs and Milan as a group. So, to take what they’ve repaired and break it up, maybe we’re going to end up trying to help more players than we are right now. “We’re debating on whether we move a couple of players around. We’ll likely give this group an opportunity again.” 1052674 Edmonton Oilers DALLAS – Three games (12 chances) without a goal against. INTANGIBLES Game Day: Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars EDMONTON – Oilers far more desperate of the two teams. OVERALL Robert Tychkowski EDMONTON – The Oilers CANNOT lose this game. Published on: March 13, 2017 | Last Updated: March 13, 2017 8:44 PM WHO TO WATCH MDT EDMONTON – Leon Draisaitl

Hasn’t seemed himself over the last couple of weeks as the production Edmonton 35-24-9 vs Dallas 27-31-10 has slowed to a trickle, despite playing on a line with Connor McDavid. This seems like a decent breakout opportunity. 7 p.m. SportsNet CHED DALLAS – Tyler Seguin LAST 5 GAMES: Option B at the 2010 draft has made a fantastic career for himself, EDMONTON (2-2-1) putting up 422 points in 494 NHL games. His 49 career playoff games EDM 1 MTL 4 are 49 more than all four Oilers first-overall picks combined. EDM 2 PIT 3 (SO) Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.14.2017 EDM 1 NYI 4 EDM 4 DET 3 EDM 2 STL 1 DALLAS (2-3) DAL 1 SJS 5 DAL 2 OTT 5 DAL 4 WSH 2 DAL 2 FLA 1 DAL 4 NYI 5 IN THE TANK Edmonton – FULL They’ve had plenty of time to catch their breath with four games in a 10- day span. Stars – Full Stars are also well rested. This is their second game in three days after a three-day break. INJURIES OILERS – RW Tyler Pitlick (knee). DALLAS – LW Antoine Roussel (undisclosed), Mattias Janmark (knee). NOTES: The Oilers have been held to two or fewer goals in six of their last nine games (five of them losses) … Leon Draisaitl has three goals in the last 16 games … The Stars have used two goalies in a game 12 times this season … They’ve allowed 11 shorthanded goals against, which is most in the league. Their 221 goals against are also most in the NHL … The Stars also have the worst save percentage in the league and they’ve allowed the most power-play goals against in the league. Otherwise, things are going pretty good … The Oilers split two games with Dallas this season, losing 3-2 at home on Nov. 11 and winning 5-2 on the road a week later. Connor McDavid scored a hat-trick in the second game and Tyler Pitlick scored a goal in each one. The Oilers went 0-for-6 on the power play while the Stars scored three power-play goals on 10 chances. MATCH UPS FORWARDS EDMONTON – Stars can score, but edge to the Oilers. DEFENCE EDMONTON – Dallas has some struggles in its own end. GOALTENDING EDMONTON – Between the pipes has long been an issue. POWER PLAY DALLAS – Neither one is especially hot right now. PENALTY KILL 1052675 Edmonton Oilers seconds after Paul Byron had tied it for the Habs. When the execution isn't there, as was the case against Montreal, the Oilers are vulnerable to the kind of thing that happened to them late in this one. Oilers need steady hands on the wheel in rough water If they let it rattle them going forward, they only compound the problem. They need solid leadership as well as better execution. BY DAN BARNES "At the end of the day, all of us believe in this group and what we have done so far in this season," said Milan Lucic, who scored Edmonton's FIRST POSTED: SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2017 09:19 PM MDT | only goal, with a power move down the right wall. UPDATED: SUNDAY, MARCH 12, 2017 09:27 PM MDT "We can’t dwell on frustration or start feeling sorry for ourselves at this time of the year. Most of all, we also can’t count on other teams to get the job done for us." The Oilers clearly aren't moving in the right direction, but they aren't inching toward the panic button either. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2017 So that's just snow falling in Edmonton, not the sky. For now. To be sure, the Oilers are in increasingly desperate need of wins. Loser points like the one they gleaned from Friday's track meet against the Penguins aren't going to cut it. Losses like the 4-1 shocker they suffered at the hands of Montreal on Sunday are, of course, that much worse. And if there was a common thread that tied their humdrum last 10 games together — they're 4-5-1 over that sad span — there would be more reason to freak out. But they have lost in a variety of ways, so head coach Todd McLellan has neither cause nor intention to do anything drastic with the psyche of his team. "The effort, the want, the desire was there tonight," he said after the loss to Montreal. "I didn’t think there was anything lazy or negligent in our game. We just didn’t execute real well. Some of our passing on the power play wasn’t crisp. And sometimes you have to give the opponent credit. So I don’t think we have to go in there and cheerlead or rant and rave or anything like that." They're in the early stages of an incredibly home-heavy month of March, but playing in the cosy confines of Rogers Place is only an advantage if you make it so. And yes, the opposition has something to say about it. So too the fans on this night, many of whom were bathed in the Bleu, Blanc et Rouge of the Habs. But that's just noise. The bigger issue was on the ice, where the Canadiens weren't giving up much time and space, and the Oilers weren't creating enough on their own. The effort was there, as McLellan said, but the offensive execution was dreadful. The Oilers were stymied in a tight defensive game. They need to find a way to win a game like that, in a month like this, because that's how hockey is played most often in March. The Oilers haven't played this kind of hockey, meaningful that is, for a decade, so there are lessons to be learned on the fly. So a team with precious little experience in meaningful games needs access to some uncanny maturity. Older players like Matt Hendricks and Milan Lucic, those who have seen action in the post-season and know what it takes to get there, can help out. That said, they are still a playoff team and have reason to act like it on and off the ice. "We're a confident group," said Hendricks. "We're going through a lull right now, going through tough times. I just think everything magnifies this time of year. Teams go through bad times any other time of the season, it isn't going to be as magnified as it is right now. So we've got to be a little bit more mature than our years right now. We need to swallow this one and talk about it." They will need to shut out the external noise too, because the panic level around this hockey-mad burg is going to rise if they fall. They're just a point back of Anaheim and Calgary, but that also means they're the first wild-card team in a tight Western Conference after Sunday. And St. Louis is one of those objects that is much, much closer than it appears in the Oilers' rear-view mirrors. The Blues are just four points back, and have a game in hand. The Oilers are keenly aware of their circumstances, that's a must, but they need to concentrate on their own effort and execution and play some winning hockey sooner than later. Taking more control of their own destiny is imperative. So too taking care of all the little details that win and lose games and points. "There's been a bunch of different issues on different nights," said Hendricks. "You know, our penalty kill hasn't been great, but it's done well the last two games, knock on wood. Tonight it was a bad bounce on a stick." A Max Pacioretty shot toward the Oilers net hit Oscar Klefbom's stick and caromed past Cam Talbot for a shocking 2-1 Montreal lead, just 69 1052676 Edmonton Oilers And don’t freak out about it because it happens to the best of them. “You look at (Alex) Ovechkin right now,” said Lucic. “He’s gone 10 games without a goal. Those things happen. Sometimes it’s a bounce, but it’s Draisaitl looking to step up his game for Oilers stretch drive doing the little things to create that bounce. “We have confidence that he’ll turn it around.” By Robert Tychkowski Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2017 First posted: Monday, March 13, 2017 06:33 PM MDT | Updated: Monday, March 13, 2017 07:59 PM MDT

Leon Draisaitl will be the first to tell you his game has slowed a bit since he was tearing up the NHL with the kind of force that had opposition coaches mentioning him in the same breath as Connor McDavid. Not that anyone needs to be told. When you’re as vital to a team’s success as the 21-year-old forward is to the fortunes of the Edmonton Oilers, people notice immediately when something seems off. And something definitely seems off with Draisaitl, both on the stats sheet – where he has just three goals in the last five weeks – and on the ice, where that extra jump in his step is a little harder to notice. “I havent' been good lately and I know that, I'm well aware of that,” he said after off-ice meetings at the rink Monday to prepare for the Dallas Stars' visit on Tuesday. “Every player goes through something like that. No player ever had a year where the whole year went the way he wants it to go. That’s just the way this game is, this league is. I’ve learned that over the last couple of years.” Draisaitl knows as well as anyone that nobody’s hand stays hot forever. He started this season, his best with the Oilers, with three goals in his first 16 games before going wild on the goalies for 17 in his next 36. And even during that run, there was an eight game stretch where he didn’t score. Goals are a fickle thing sometimes, and you can play well without getting them. So while head coach Todd McLellan doesn’t think Draisaitl’s funk is as deep as the numbers suggest, he has noticed a slight drop in certain key areas. “It’s the actual input into the game and whether you’re generating chances or opportunities,” said McLellan. “He’s still doing that, but maybe not at the same rate he was before and maybe he’s giving up a little too much the other way. “We’ll help him as much as we can. He’ll be important down the stretch.” That’s what has everyone worried. Draisaitl might be the most important player on the team not named McDavid or Cam Talbot. But with the total stalled at 23 and the playoffs fast approaching, fans are nervous, wondering when he’s going to snap out of it and return to the dynamic, net-filling form that’s going to cost the Oilers a lot of money this summer. “I have to be better and I’m more than confident in myself that I can do that,” said Draisaitl, not thrilled with the line of questioning but answering from the heart nonetheless. “For me, it’s just a matter of getting back to what I’m good at. I’m going to make sure I start Tuesday.” Between an Olympic qualifying tournament in Latvia in late August, a deep run at the World Cup of Hockey and heavy minutes in all 68 games for the Oilers this year, it’s been a long haul that for the third-year pro that McLellan thinks might finally be catching up. “A little bit of his play is based on fatigue,” said the coach. “He’s played more hockey than probably anybody in the league. The biggest thing we can do for him is rest him both physically and mentally. Thus he’s not skating (Monday). We believe he’ll get back to where he was before.” There isn’t a lot of down time between now and the finish line, though. So it will be up to Draisaitl to find a way to elevate his game down the stretch and beyond. “He’s hard on himself right now and I think that sticks with him a little longer than maybe it should,” said McLellan. “You have to put the bad ones behind you and look forward.” Milan Lucic, who has three goals and two assists in his last six games – after six points in the previous 19 – believes the key to breaking out of a slump is to simply grind it out. “Sometimes less is more,” he said. “Get back to the basics, keep it simple. Get your feet moving a little more, shoot the puck a little harder, getting the puck out of the D-zone as a winger.” 1052677 Edmonton Oilers DALLAS IN TOWN According to the standings, the 26th place Dallas Stars are exactly what the Oilers need to regain their stride. Veterans telling fellow Oilers to enjoy the bumpy ride But McLellan isn’t so happy to see Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn that he’s offering to pick them up at the airport. By Robert Tychkowski “Dallas is an offensive time bomb,” he said. “They have the ability to First posted: Monday, March 13, 2017 07:36 PM MDT | Updated: explode at any point and score a ton of goals, so we’ll have our hands full Monday, March 13, 2017 07:58 PM MDT with that.” Besides, there are no easy games when you’re fighting for a playoff spot in March. For a city that has spent 10 sad years watching ship after ship crash on the sharp rocks of failure, the first few games of the Edmonton Oilers “The competition we’ve played over the last little bit has been top notch stretch drive have some fans fearing the worst. teams and they’ve pushed us,” said McLellan. “We’ve pushed back, just ended up on the short end.” But for a veteran of 101 playoff games and two Stanley Cup finals: This is awesome, man! Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Oilers fans might not be crazy about how tense the Pacific Division race has become after Edmonton’s recent 3-5-1 stumble, but Milan Lucic is loving every minute of the dogfight. He says everyone in Edmonton, inside the dressing room and out, should embrace this high-stakes drama with both arms. This is what hockey is all about. “The main thing is you have to trust in yourself, trust in the system and come and have fun with it,” said the Oilers winger. “It’s a fun time of year. It’s almost spring time – even though it doesn’t feel like it. “As a competitor, this is the time of year you want to be playing in games like this.” Head coach Todd McLellan has also been around long enough to know this is not the time to be sounding alarm bells. Yes, he thinks the Oilers have to be better, but he doesn’t believe it will take much to get there. “Things are not going great, they’re not going the way we want as far as results,” he said. “But if you look at a few of the games on the home stand, I thought we played well against Detroit, exceptional against Pittsburgh. “Last game (4-1 loss to Montreal) our execution wasn’t where it needs to be, but panic and apprehension isn’t going to help our group. We have to learn to navigate our way through the ups and downs.” Even though it looks like the standings are closing in on them with Calgary, Anaheim, St. Louis and Los Angeles making threatening moves, the message in the room is still one of confidence and control. “Every team goes through a phase like that,” said Draisaitl, adding the Oilers have already pulled out of worse dives than this this year. “It’s more important that we worry about ourselves more than the other teams. “It’s about us, it’s in this group. We’re more than capable of getting out of it and banking some points.” That’s the message Lucic and the other playoff veterans are stressing right now: No matter what happened last game, or the last eight, all that matters is the next one. “It’s getting the guys to realize that you can’t look too far down the road, even though now it is a sprint,” said Lucic. “Worry more about the process, the system. What’s made you a good team up to this point, other than wins and losses? “It is a mindset that you have to come to the rink with. Having that swagger, that confidence. Ask all the good teams what separates them: It’s having that mindset, and showing up to the rink with it.” STATUS QUO With first line production tailing off a bit, the thought of changing things up has definitely crossed McLellan’s mind, but he’s worried it might disrupt chemistry elsewhere. With the Triple Six line of Lucic, Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins starting to generate offence, messing with it doesn’t make a lot of sense. “It’s been talked about and debated a lot,” said McLellan. “We’ve had some good hockey out of Nuge, Ebs and Milan as a group. So, to take what they’ve repaired and break it up, maybe we’re going to end up trying to help more players than we are right now. “We’re debating on whether we move a couple of players around. We’ll likely give this group an opportunity again.” 1052678 Edmonton Oilers DALLAS - Three games (12 chances) without a goal against. INTANGIBLES Game Day: Edmonton Oilers vs. Dallas Stars EDMONTON - Oilers far more desperate of the two teams. OVERALL By Robert Tychkowski EDMONTON - The Oilers CANNOT lose this game. First posted: Monday, March 13, 2017 08:44 PM MDT | Updated: WHO TO WATCH Monday, March 13, 2017 08:51 PM MDT EDMONTON – Leon Draisaitl

Hasn’t seemed himself over the last couple of weeks as the production Edmonton 35-24-9 vs Dallas 27-31-10 has slowed to a trickle, despite playing on a line with Connor McDavid. This seems like a decent breakout opportunity. 7 p.m. SportsNet CHED DALLAS – Tyler Seguin LAST 5 GAMES: Option B at the 2010 draft has made a fantastic career for himself, EDMONTON (2-2-1) putting up 422 points in 494 NHL games. His 49 career playoff games EDM 1 MTL 4 are 49 more than all four Oilers first-overall picks combined. EDM 2 PIT 3 (SO) Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2017 EDM 1 NYI 4 EDM 4 DET 3 EDM 2 STL 1 DALLAS (2-3) DAL 1 SJS 5 DAL 2 OTT 5 DAL 4 WSH 2 DAL 2 FLA 1 DAL 4 NYI 5 IN THE TANK Edmonton - FULL They’ve had plenty of time to catch their breath with four games in a 10- day span. Stars - Full Stars are also well rested. This is their second game in three days after a three-day break. INJURIES OILERS – RW Tyler Pitlick (knee). DALLAS – LW Antoine Roussel (undisclosed), Mattias Janmark (knee). NOTES: The Oilers have been held to two or fewer goals in six of their last nine games (five of them losses) … Leon Draisaitl has three goals in the last 16 games … The Stars have used two goalies in a game 12 times this season … They’ve allowed 11 shorthanded goals against, which is most in the league. Their 221 goals against are also most in the NHL … The Stars also have the worst save percentage in the league and they’ve allowed the most power-play goals against in the league. Otherwise, things are going pretty good … The Oilers split two games with Dallas this season, losing 3-2 at home on Nov. 11 and winning 5-2 on the road a week later. Connor McDavid scored a hat-trick in the second game and Tyler Pitlick scored a goal in each one. The Oilers went 0-for-6 on the power play while the Stars scored three power-play goals on 10 chances. MATCH UPS FORWARDS EDMONTON - Stars can score, but edge to the Oilers. DEFENCE EDMONTON - Dallas has some struggles in its own end. GOALTENDING EDMONTON - Between the pipes has long been an issue. POWER PLAY DALLAS - Neither one is especially hot right now. PENALTY KILL 1052679 Florida Panthers ▪ The Panthers entertain the Maple Leafs on Tuesday and any playoff hopes Florida still has likely depends on beating Toronto in both of the final meetings these final weeks of the regular season. Slumping Florida Panthers will be without Aaron Ekblad due to The Leafs came into Monday holding the final playoff spot in the Eastern concussion Conference with a seven-point cushion on the fading Panthers. Florida comes into Tuesday riding a five-game winless streak with losses BY GEORGE RICHARDS in eight of its past nine (1-7-1). “It’s our biggest game of the season,” Rowe said. “We need to win it and we need to win it regulation.” Aaron Ekblad will be out of the Florida Panthers lineup for at least the next week after suffering a concussion during Saturday’s loss to the TUESDAY: MAPLE LEAFS AT PANTHERS Tampa Bay Lightning. When, where: 7:30 p.m.; BB&T Center, Sunrise. Coach Tom Rowe said both Ekblad and center Denis Malgin will be out TV/Radio: FSFL; WQAM 560, WMEN 640, WMYM 990. seven to 10 days after both suffered concussions on separate hits during the early goings of Saturday’s second period. Series: Toronto leads 38-33-7. Rookie MacKenzie Weegar was brought up from Florida’s AHL affiliate in Scouting report: The Maple Leafs are 3-0 against the Panthers this Massachusetts although Rowe said veteran Jakub Kindl would be in the season with two more games left including the finale in two weeks in lineup against the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs. Canada. Toronto has won its past three games and holds the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. “We just have to take it day-by-day,” Rowe said of Ekblad. “We’ll see how he progresses. I talked to him [Monday] and he said he felt pretty good. Miami Herald LOADED: 03.14.2017 But he’s definitely not ready to get back into the lineup.” This is the third head-related injury for Ekblad in the past 14 months. Last January, Ekblad missed four games because of a concussion after being hit from behind by Edmonton’s Matt Hendricks. Saturday, Ekblad was again hit from behind as Tampa Bay’s Gabriel Dumont drove Ekblad into the glass with a high elbow. Hendricks was suspended three games for his hit on Ekblad; as of Monday afternoon, the league had not done anything to Dumont. “There’s a 48-hour rule [in which] you can’t contact player safety,” Rowe said. “I will be doing that later.” During training camp, Ekblad was sent back to Florida from the World Cup in Toronto after he was rammed into the glass by Leo Komarov in the opening game between Team North America and Finland. Although it was suspected Ekblad had a concussion then, he was told he suffered concussion-like symptoms due to whiplash. Ekblad was cleared for practice with the Panthers soon after getting back from Canada. “The way I was told, it was about blood flow,'' Ekblad said then. “When you get whiplash like that, there's restricted blood flow to the head and that causes systems because the blood doesn't drain out of head as fast. That's why you get symptoms without it being a concussion. “There's pressure there in your head giving you headaches.” Weegar, 23, did not make it to South Florida in time for Monday’s brisk practice in Coral Springs and isn’t likely to make his NHL debut Tuesday. A seventh-round draft pick by the Panthers in 2013, Weegar is having his best pro season since leaving his junior team in 2014. “The kid has done a great job,” Rowe said. “We want him here to get a taste of what this is all about.” In 165 minor league games for the Panthers in two different leagues, Weegar has 22 goals and 76 points. This year, Weegar was selected to the AHL All-Star Game and has 12 goals with 29 points. Eric Joyce, Florida’s assistant general manager who runs the AHL Thunderbirds, said Weegar has been Springfield’s best defenseman this year and said the Panthers will tender him when he becomes a restricted free agent following this season. ▪ After shuffling all four forward lines before Friday’s game to the Rangers, Rowe put everyone back in place — like Jonathan Huberdeau back with Jaromir Jagr and Sasha Barkov, for example — during Monday’s practice. Florida’s fourth line was without center Derek MacKenzie on Monday as he was given the day off. “We went back to what they were more comfortable with, what we had when we were winning,” Rowe said. 1052680 Florida Panthers

Star defenseman is out with concussion so Florida Panthers rookie gets his shot

BY GEORGE RICHARDS

Aaron Ekblad, star defenseman of the Florida Panthers, was knocked out of Saturday’s loss in Tampa to what coach Tom Rowe confirmed was a concussion. On Monday, rookie defenseman MacKenzie Weegar is expected to be at Florida’s practice in Coral Springs and the 23-year-old could make his NHL debut against the visiting Maple Leafs at BB&T Center. Weegar was a seventh-round draft pick by the Panthers in 2013 and has been part of the organization since leaving his junior team in Halifax in 2014. In 165 minor league games for the Panthers in two different leagues, Weegar has 22 goals and 76 points. For Florida’s Springfield Thunderbirds in Massachusetts this season, Weegar has been strong with 12 goals and 29 points while registering a plus-7 earning him a spot on the AHL All-Star team. Eric Joyce, Florida’s assistant general manager who runs the AHL Thunderbirds, said Weegar has been Springfield’s best defenseman this year and said the Panthers will tender him when he becomes a restricted free agent following this season. “If we had to call a defenseman up today, it would be him,” Joyce said last month. “That’s in large part to the work he has put in over the past three years. He started out in the ECHL, bounced around with us a little bit but now, he is really understanding what he has to do off the ice to be at this level. “He has been our best defenseman overall, was an AHL all-star. “If you took all the contracts out of it and we needed a guy based on performance, it would be MacKenzie. He is a guy we are excited about. He’s going to compete for a job with us next year.” For Ekblad, if he was indeed concussed, it would be at least his third head incident in the past 14 months. Ekblad was held out of the final games of the World Cup earlier this season in what he described was a case of whiplash after rammed into the glass by Leo Komarov in the opening game of the World Cup between Team North America and Finland. “The way I was told, it was about blood flow,'' Ekblad said upon returning to practice with the Panthers. “When you get whiplash like that, there's restricted blood flow to the head and that causes systems because the blood doesn't drain out of head as fast. That's why you get symptoms without it being a concussion. “There's pressure there in your head giving you headaches. ... I'm just trying to be a better hockey player. In the end, it's about getting that 1- percent edge on everyone." Ekblad also missed a handful of games last year after suffering a concussion after being hit from behind by Edmonton’s Matt Hendricks — for which he was suspended three games. Saturday, Ekblad was again hit from behind as Tampa Bay’s Gabriel Dumont drove Ekblad into the glass with a high elbow. Miami Herald LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052681 Florida Panthers

Preview: Panthers vs. Maple Leafs, 7:30 p.m., Tuesday

Matthew DeFranks

When/where: 7:30 p.m./BB&T Center, Sunrise TV: Fox Sports Florida Radio: WQAM-560; WMEN-640 (Palm Beach) Scouting report: Panthers general manager and interim coach Tom Rowe labeled Tuesday’s game against Toronto as Florida’s biggest game of the year, saying the team has to win it in regulation. Florida (69 points) will enter the game seven points behind the Maple Leafs (76) for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot. The Panthers have lost their past five games and are 1-7-1 in their past nine contests. After Tuesday, only 14 games remain for Florida to rescue its dwindling playoff hopes. … Florida has not picked up a point since a shootout loss in Philadelphia on March 2, losing the past four games in regulation, including Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Tampa Bay. The Panthers had an early 2-0 lead over the Lightning, but lost when Tampa Bay’s Ondrej Palat scored with 2:23 remaining in the third period. … Toronto, meanwhile, has won three consecutive games after suffering through a five-game losing streak of its own. It beat the Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime on Saturday. Toronto has won all three meetings with Florida so far this season, with one coming in a shootout. The teams also play in Toronto on March 28. … Aaron Ekblad (concussion), Denis Malgin (concussion) and Roberto Luongo (undisclosed) are out for Florida. Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052682 Florida Panthers Captain Derek MacKenzie did not practice Monday, with Rowe saying it was just for “maintenance.” ...

Springfield forward Paul Thompson was named CCM/AHL Player of the Panthers' Ekblad and Malgin out 7-10 days with concussions Week after recording four goals and an assist in three games. Thompson has played 21 games with Florida in the NHL, tallying three assists. Matthew DeFranks Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.14.2017

Florida Panthers general manager and interim coach Tom Rowe said both defenseman Aaron Ekblad and forward Denis Malgin are expected to be out for 7-10 days after they suffered concussions during Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Tampa Bay. Ekblad exited Saturday’s game early in the second period after absorbing a high hit by the Lightning’s Gabriel Dumont along the corner boards. With Ekblad sidelined, the Panthers recalled 23-year-old MacKenzie Weegar from Springfield on Monday morning. “We’re just going to take it day-by-day, see how [Ekblad] progresses,” Rowe said. “Talked with him today, said he felt pretty good but definitely not ready to go back in the lineup.” Rowe said that Malgin, 20, was “a little foggy,” but it did not seem to be a major injury. Malgin was hip-checked into the boards by Anton Stralman, hitting his head on the glass by the Panthers bench. The Panthers (69 points) are winless in their past five games and have gone 1-7-1 in their past nine. They entered Monday seven points behind Toronto (76) for the Eastern Conference’s second wild card spot. Florida would also have to jump the New York Islanders (75), Tampa Bay (73) and Philadelphia (70). Florida hosts the Maple Leafs on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at the BB&T Center. For Ekblad, the concussion adds to a recent personal history of head injuries. During the World Cup in September, Ekblad suffered from whiplash after a hit while playing for Team North America. Last January, he missed four games with a concussion after Edmonton’s Matt Hendricks hit him. Hendricks was called for boarding and suspended for three games by the NHL. “I think it’s just the way of the world,” Rowe said of Ekblad’s head injuries. “We’ve got a great medical team here. … He’s in good hands. We just got to go through the NHL protocol and see how he progresses.” Rowe said the team cannot contact the league about possible discipline for Dumont until 48 hours have passed, but that he would check later on Monday. After Dumont’s hit, Panthers defenseman Keith Yandle fought him. Both players were assessed five-minute fighting penalties, and Yandle also served a two-minute roughing call. Though Weegar will join the Panthers before Tuesday’s game, he will likely not be in the lineup. Rowe said Florida intends to play Jakub Kindl in Ekblad’s absence. Kindl has not played since Jan. 23 and was paired with Mark Pysyk on Monday morning. Weegar has never played in the NHL and did not arrive in time for Monday’s practice. “He was definitely the next guy to get called up,” Rowe said. “The kid’s done a great job and we want him here to get a little taste of what it’s about and, obviously, if we needed another guy in case somebody gets hurt tomorrow night, he’s here.” Weegar was a seventh-round draft pick by the Panthers in 2013 and has 12 goals and 17 assists in 51 games for Springfield this season. In 144 career AHL games, he has 63 points. Back to normal After a two-game stretch that saw the Panthers lines scrambled, familiar trios were reunited for Monday morning’s practice. Jaromir Jagr, Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau were back together on the top line. Reilly Smith, Jussi Jokinen and Vincent Trocheck manned the second line, while Thomas Vanek, Jonathan Marchessault and Nick Bjugstad were on the third line. The fourth line was Shawn Thornton, Michael Sgarbossa and Colton Sceviour. “When we were winning consistently, that’s what the line mix was,” Rowe said. “Figured we’d go back to that. We got everybody comfortable with the guys they’ve played the most with, given the fact that tomorrow night is our biggest game of the year. We have to win it and we have to win it in regulation.” 1052683 Los Angeles Kings When: Tuesday, 7:30. p.m. PST. On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 790. Kings’ hopes of reaching the playoffs suffer a blow Update: The Kings have had some luck against the Coyotes this season, winning two one-goal games in Arizona before losing the only meeting at Staples Center last month. The Kings are 5-5-2 in the second game of Kevin Baxter back-to-backs. LA Times: LOADED: 03.14.2017 There was no need to watch the out-of-town scoreboard at Staples Center on Monday night. To check in on their nearest rival for the Western Conference’s final playoff berth, all the Kings and St. Louis Blues had to do was look across the ice. And when they did it was the Kings who blinked first, with goals by David Perron, Magnus Paajarvi and an empty-netter by Alexander Steen lifting the Blues to a 3-1 win that put a major dent in the Kings’ postseason plans. Dustin Brown got the Kings’ goal after they pulled their goalie with less than three minutes to play, but that did little more than change the final score and make the final seconds interesting. The loss ended the Kings’ winning streak at two games and dropped them five points behind St. Louis with 14 games left to play. “Just not pay attention to standings, not pay attention to what other the other teams did. And just worry about us and win every single game for the rest of the season,” defenseman Drew Doughty said when asked how the Kings will approach the rest of the schedule. “That one stung knowing what was at stake. And we had some chances. But it’s a loss and we’ve got to get over it real quick.” To pass the Blues, the Kings will have to win three more games than St. Louis over the next month. So even if the Blues lose half of their final 14 games, the Kings would have to win 10 of their final 14 to finish with a better record. The Kings haven’t won 10 games in a 14-game stretch this season. Adding to the challenge is the fact the Kings and Blues, who don’t meet again this season, face different schedules down the stretch. The Kings play only five games against teams who entered Monday with a losing record and St. Louis plays eight games against teams that are below .500, including three with last-place Arizona and three with Colorado, which has the worst record in the league. That may make Monday’s loss more than just a missed opportunity for the Kings. It could make it a dagger into the heart of their postseason hopes. Given the high stakes, both teams played conservatively in the early going, combining for only 15 shots in the first period. And though the Kings opened things up in the second, taking 21 shots, it was St. Louis that struck first, with a persistent Perron scoring with less than seven minutes left in the period. Jonathan Quick made a sliding stop on Perron’s first attempt at the left post, but the puck stayed under the Kings goalie and the winger reached in with his stick to dig it out before pushing it into the net. St. Louis doubled the advantage on Paajarvi’s goal 70 seconds into the third period. Again Quick stopped the first shot, turning away a wrister from Alex Pietrangelo near the left faceoff circle. But the rebound bounced to Patrik Berglund who sent it back on goal, where Paajarvi deflected it in. The goal was only the fourth power-play score the Kings have given up in their last 55 penalty-kill opportunities. Jake Allen was brilliant in goal, withstanding the Kings’ second-period barrage and finishing with 38 saves. Brown broke up the shutout, poking a rebound through a scramble of bodies in front of the net for his 11th goal. Steen closed the scoring with seven seconds to play. It was the Blues’ fifth victory in a row and their first win in regulation at Staples Center in six years. “The best part about this game, we play again tomorrow,” Kings Coach Darry Sutter said. UP NEXT KINGS VS. ARIZONA COYOTES 1052684 Los Angeles Kings

Kings rookie Paul LaDue making the most of his opportunity to play

March 12, 2017 Updated March 13, 2017 6:34 p.m. By ELLIOTT TEAFORD / STAFF WRITER

EL SEGUNDO - If the Kings complete their comeback by the end of the regular season and advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs next month, they will have done so with the help of an inexperienced defensive corps that wasn't projected to be a difference maker for another season or more. The Kings have stayed competitive in the playoff race despite playing not one, not two, but three rookie defensemen this late in the season. Derek Forbort, Kevin Gravel and Paul LaDue played significant roles in the Kings' 3-2 victory Saturday over the Washington Capitals. Each of them could still be playing for the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League team if things had turned out differently for the Kings. Forbort has played in 67 games this season, Gravel has appeared in 43 contests and LaDue has played in 10. LaDue, in particular, would still riding the bus in the minors if not for a Kings youth movement on defense. Kings general manager Dean Lombardi determined it was time to take a closer look at LaDue after Forbort and Gravel earned spots in the lineup earlier in the season. “He's getting a great opportunity to play in a lot of situations,” Kings assistant coach John Stevens said of the 24-year-old LaDue, who said he left training camp hoping his time would come sooner rather than later in the NHL. It did, and in a familiar place far from home. The Kings recalled LaDue and he made his NHL debut Feb. 7 against the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena, where he and his University of North Dakota teammates won the NCAA championship last season. He has four points for the Kings, all assists. “I always hoped for it, but I never knew what was going to play out,” LaDue said of playing important games in March for the Kings. “I try not to think about it too much, but it is pretty crazy being up here and I'm thankful for it, and I've just got to keep working.” In fact, the Kings have zero margin for error as they attempt to catch and pass the St. Louis Blues in the battle for a wild-card playoff spot. The Blues lead the Kings by three points going into the last of three regular- season matchups between the teams Monday at Staples Center. LaDue is expected to log major minutes against the Blues, having earned the Kings' trust. He played a career-high 19 minutes, 38 seconds during the Kings' victory over the league-leading Capitals, among the NHL's top offensive teams. “With Paul, like anyone else, we were looking for consistency in his game, but he's a very good student of the game,” Stevens said. “You tell him things, you can see he takes it in, he implements it into his game right away. He can understand what you're trying to do.” Shattenkirk suspended The NHL suspended the Capitals' Kevin Shattenkirk for two games without pay for charging Gravel during the third period Saturday. Shattenkirk will forfeit $47,222.22. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052685 Los Angeles Kings

Kings Notes: Playoff chase has a few new faces in the mix

March 13, 2017 Updated 9:36 p.m. By ELLIOTT TEAFORD / STAFF WRITER

LOS ANGELES – The Kings have been down this road before and they know what to expect. When haven’t they been locked in a nerve-jangling Stanley Cup playoff race in March and April? It seems like it’s become something of an annual spring rite of passage. Many of the faces are different than past seasons, but the chase still feels the same. The imperatives are the same. The lack of a margin for error appears to be identical to last season, and the one before than, and the one before that, and the one before that. OK, perhaps not exactly the same, but close enough. Each season has been a little different, starting with the Kings’ late charge to grab the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference in 2011-12, which they used as a springboard to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship. “The intensity of the games is a lot higher, the meaning of the games is a lot greater, and that makes each play that more important,” Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin said Monday, less than 12 hours before a must-win game against the St. Louis Blues. “It’s a fun time. “We’re looking to win every one of these games.” Unlike past seasons, the Kings have a greater mix of players on their roster as they head down the stretch. They’re younger in many ways, with three rookies in their defense corps for a victory Saturday over the Washington Capitals, but they’re also older and more battle-tested, too. General Manager Dean Lombardi acquired Jarome Iginla, a 39-year-old forward with a Hall of Fame-caliber career already in the books, plus goaltender Ben Bishop, who played with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final in 2015. So, while the playoff hunt might seem familiar, the Kings’ cast of characters has changed somewhat since last season after the March 1 trade deadline and the arrival of Iginla and Bishop. Even a veteran like Muzzin notices the difference in the team’s confidence. “Sometimes I look over and I say, ‘Hey, it’s Jarome,’” Muzzin said, laughing at the thought of joining forces with a former rival. “Obviously, we all know about the leadership, the experience, the shot. Everything he brings to the table is there. It’s nice having it on this team, for sure.” Iginla scored twice in the Kings’ overtime victory Friday over the Nashville Predators, but the big goals lately haven’t been limited to the grizzled veterans. Adrian Kempe, a 20-year-old rookie, scored the game- winner, and his first in the NHL, on Saturday against Washington. “Special moment for him, and hopefully, he’s got a few more in him,” Muzzin said of Kempe. Every goal is special at this time of the season, and Muzzin said it doesn’t matter who scores as long as someone scores. There is no more bigger boost when one player scores over another. All goals carry the same weight during a playoff race. “Whatever we can get, we’ll take them,” Muzzin said. SCORING CHANGE Upon further review, Tanner Pearson was credited with an assist on Jeff Carter’s empty-net goal in the Kings’ victory over Washington. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052686 Los Angeles Kings

Kings lose to Blues, fall five points behind in playoff race

March 13, 2017 Updated 11:40 p.m. By ELLIOTT TEAFORD / STAFF WRITER

LOS ANGELES – It wasn’t exactly win or go home and make plans for that offseason golfing or fishing trip, but there was a must-win aspect to the Kings’ date with the St. Louis Blues on Monday at Staples Center. Time is short and the Kings’ margin for error has all but vanished. The Kings’ 3-1 loss to the Blues dropped them five points behind St. Louis in the wild-card race with 14 games remaining. It wasn’t a devastating result, and certainly not the end of their playoff chase, but it wasn’t the outcome the Kings needed, or wanted. “That one stung,” Kings defenseman Drew Doughty said. “We were pretty excited before the game, knowing what was at stake. … It’s a frustrating loss and we’ve got to get over it real quick because we’ve got to play (Tuesday) and we’ve got to win.” David Perron, Magnus Paajarvi (power play) and Alexander Steen (empty net) scored for the Blues, who won their fifth consecutive game and improved their record to 36-27-5 for 77 points. Dustin Brown scored for the Kings (33-29-6, 72 points), whose two-game winning streak ended. The Blues’ five-game trip continues Wednesday against the Ducks. The Kings play the sixth game of their seven-game homestand Tuesday against the Arizona Coyotes. The Blues and Kings played their third and final regular-season game Monday. “It definitely stinks,” Kings captain Anze Kopitar said. “But at the same time we’ve got another one tomorrow, which is obviously a big one. We’ve got to get the two points. Every time we play those guys (the Blues) it seems like it’s a defensive battle and tonight was no different.” The Kings had their chances. Plenty of them. Blues goaltender Jake Allen made 38 saves and came within 2 minutes, 55 seconds of a shutout. “We did a lot of good things, just didn’t finish,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “We had 21 shots in the second period. They had a one-foot tap-in. We didn’t until we pulled the goalie. You’ve got to get your nose in the blue paint. You get poked in the nose and bang it in like Perron did.” Perron didn’t give up on his own close-range shot and slipped an uncovered rebound into the back of goaltender Jonathan Quick’s net at 13:37 of the middle period, giving St. Louis a hard-earned 1-0 lead in the midst of the Kings’ second-period onslaught. Alexander Steen set up the play with a centering pass to Perron from the right wing. Quick stopped Perron’s one-timed shot from point-blank range, but Perron didn’t quit on the play and when the puck slipped out from under Quick’s pad, he tapped it into the net. Sutter wore a chagrined look from behind the bench as a Staples Center sellout crowd of 18,230 went silent. Sutter gave Quick his third consecutive start and his sixth in eight games since returning from a 59- game absence because of a groin injury. St. Louis extended its lead to 2-1 when Paajarvi scored a power-play goal only 1:10 into the third period. Paajarvi redirected Patrik Berglund's point-blank rebound shot after the Kings’ Jeff Carter was penalized for holding Vladimir Tarasenko. “We’ve got to not pay attention to the standings, not pay attention to what the other teams are doing and just worry about us and win every single game the rest of the season,” Doughty said of the team’s mindset Tuesday and for the rest of the way. Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052687 Los Angeles Kings

Kings’ playoff chase has a few new faces in the mix

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze Posted: 03/13/17, 6:16 PM PDT | Updated: 5 hrs ago

LOS ANGELES >> The Kings have been down this road before and they know what to expect. When haven’t they been locked in a nerve-jangling Stanley Cup playoff race in March and April? It seems like it’s become something of an annual spring rite of passage. Many of the faces are different than past seasons, but the chase still feels the same. The imperatives are the same. The lack of a margin for error appears to be identical to last season, and the one before than, and the one before that, and the one before that. OK, perhaps not exactly the same, but close enough. Each season has been a little different, starting with the Kings’ late charge to grab the eighth and final spot in the Western Conference in 2011-12, which they used as a springboard to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship. “The intensity of the games is a lot higher, the meaning of the games is a lot greater, and that makes each play that more important,” Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin said Monday, less than 12 hours before a must-win game against the St. Louis Blues. “It’s a fun time. “We’re looking to win every one of these games.” Unlike past seasons, the Kings have a greater mix of players on their roster as they head down the stretch. They’re younger in many ways, with three rookies in their defense corps for a victory Saturday over the Washington Capitals, but they’re also older and more battle-tested, too. General Manager Dean Lombardi acquired Jarome Iginla, a 39-year-old forward with a Hall of Fame-caliber career already in the books, plus goaltender Ben Bishop, who played with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Final in 2015. So, while the playoff hunt might seem familiar, the Kings’ cast of characters has changed somewhat since last season after the March 1 trade deadline and the arrival of Iginla and Bishop. Even a veteran like Muzzin notices the difference in the team’s confidence. “Sometimes I look over and I say, ‘Hey, it’s Jarome,’” Muzzin said, laughing at the thought of joining forces with a former rival. “Obviously, we all know about the leadership, the experience, the shot. Everything he brings to the table is there. It’s nice having it on this team, for sure.” Iginla scored twice in the Kings’ overtime victory Friday over the Nashville Predators, but the big goals lately haven’t been limited to the grizzled veterans. Adrian Kempe, a 20-year-old rookie, scored the game- winner, and his first in the NHL, on Saturday against Washington. “Special moment for him, and hopefully, he’s got a few more in him,” Muzzin said of Kempe. Every goal is special at this time of the season, and Muzzin said it doesn’t matter who scores as long as someone scores. There is no more bigger boost when one player scores over another. All goals carry the same weight during a playoff race. “Whatever we can get, we’ll take them,” Muzzin said. Upon further review, Tanner Pearson was credited with an assist on Jeff Carter’s empty-net goal in the Kings’ victory over Washington. LA Daily News: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052688 Los Angeles Kings

It wasn’t exactly win or go home and make plans for that off-season golfing or fishing trip

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze Posted: 03/13/17, 10:48 PM PDT | Updated: 1 hr ago

LOS ANGELES >> It wasn’t exactly win or go home and make plans for that off-season golfing or fishing trip, but there was a must-win aspect to the Kings’ date with the St. Louis Blues on Monday at Staples Center. Win or else face a really rocky bumpy to a playoff berth was probably more accurate. The Kings’ 3-1 loss to the Blues dropped them five points behind St. Louis in the wild-card race with 14 games remaining. It wasn’t a devastating result, and certainly not the end of their playoff chase, but it wasn’t the outcome the Kings needed, or wanted. David Perron, Magnus Paajarvi (power play) and Alexander Steen (empty net) scored for the Blues, who won their fifth consecutive game and improved their record to 36-27-5 for 77 points. Dustin Brown scored for the Kings (33-29-6, 72 points), whose two-game winning streak ended. The Blues’ five-game trip continues Wednesday against the Ducks. The Kings play the sixth game of their seven-game homestand Tuesday against the Arizona Coyotes. The Blues and Kings played their third and final regular-season game Monday. The teams started with good intentions, but didn’t exactly leave scorch marks on the ice as they skated up and down during a conservative opening period. They were each bent on playing mistake-free hockey. So, mission accomplished through the first period and most of the second. Then, in a flash, the Blues capitalized on a mistake and seized a 1-0 lead. Perron, a Blues forward, didn’t give up on his own close-range shot and slipped an uncovered rebound into the back of goaltender Jonathan Quick’s net at 13:37 of the second period. Alexander Steen set up the play with a centering pass to Perron from the right wing. Quick stopped Perron’s one-timed shot from point-blank range, but Perron didn’t quit on the play and when the puck slipped out from under Quick’s pad, he tapped it into the net. Kings coach Darryl Sutter wore a chagrined look from behind the bench as a Staples Center sellout crowd of 18,230 went silent. Sutter gave Quick his third consecutive start and his sixth in eight games since returning from a 59-game absence because of a groin injury. Ben Bishop figured to start Tuesday against the Arizona Coyotes, although you never know with Sutter and Quick. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Quick start for the second consecutive night, given what’s at stake as the Kings’ playoff chase continues. Blues goalie Jake Allen was solid while making his 50 appearance of the season. He was 8-5-0 with a 1.86 goals-against average, a .937 save percentage and two shutouts in his past 13 starts before facing the Kings in what was a must-win game for the Blues, too. St. Louis eased Allen’s burden when Paajarvi scored a power-play goal only 1:10 into the third period. Paajarvi redirected Patrik Berglund’s point- blank rebound shot after the Kings’ Jeff Carter was penalized for holding Vladimir Tarasenko. Carter didn’t like the call, only 46 seconds into the third period, but he had to reach out to halt a hard-charging Tarasenko otherwise the Blues’ leading goal-scorer with 32 might have made it 33. Paarjarvi cashed it in only 24 seconds later. LA Daily News: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052689 Los Angeles Kings For the first time since Staples Center opened in 1999, I'll be playing in the crowd during tonight's @LAKings game (section 216/217)#GKG

— Dieter Ruehle (@DieterRuehle) March 13, 2017 MARCH 13 MORNING SKATE NOTES: QUICK EXPECTED TO START; MCNABB BACK IN? LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017

JON ROSENMARCH 13, 2017

Good morning to you, Insiders. Kings-Blues tonight. ::checks standings:: This is kind of a big game. In advance of tonight’s tilt (7:00 p.m. / FOX Sports West / FOX Sports GO / KABC 790 / I Heart Radio), the Kings aligned thusly: Gaborik-Kopitar-Iginla Pearson-Carter-Toffoli Brown-Kempe-Lewis Clifford-Dowd-Andreoff Forbort-Doughty Muzzin-LaDue McNabb-Martinez Gravel -Jonathan Quick was the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate and will be expected to start tonight against St. Louis. Brayden McNabb took the first loop alongside Alec Martinez, and Kevin Gravel remained on the ice for some extra work with Ben Bishop, so it appears likely McNabb will rejoin tonight’s lineup. Neither Jordan Nolan nor Nick Shore skated with the group. -STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING. There has been a scoring change from Jeff Carter’s empty netter on Saturday. Add a second assist to Tanner Pearson, so the goal now reads Carter (31) from Toffoli (14) and Pearson (19) on the power play at 19:58 of the third period. As you were. -St. Louis leads Los Angeles by three points. Both teams have 15 games remainng. The Blues have five games left against the Avalanche and Coyotes. No doubt the stakes of this game are huge. What say you, Jake Muzzin? “Well, it’s a must-win game. We all know where we are and who we’re trying to catch and they’re ahead of us, so points-wise it’s a huge game. You know, every game for us coming down the stretch here is important and we’re looking to get points in every one of them.” -A community note: Taste of the South Bay takes place this Friday – St. Patrick’s Day! – at the new Shade Hotel in Redondo Beach. Mix and mingle with Kings personnel and celebrities, play casino games and taste offerings from over a dozen South Bay-area restaurants at the annual charity event. Tickets are $100 and proceeds benefit the Redondo Beach Police Foundation, with funds earmarked to purchase classroom emergency safety kits for all Redondo Beach schools. More information and a ticketing link can be accessed by clicking here. -The Blues didn’t have the services of Jori Lehtera, Paul Stastny or Colton Parayko in their 4-3 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday but should receive at least two of the three back for tonight’s game. Blues lines: Schwartz-Stastny-Tarasenko; Steen-Berglund-Perron; Jaskin-Barbashev-Paajarvi; Upshall-Brodziak-Reaves — Tom Timmermann (@tomtimm) March 13, 2017 Blues defense: Bouwmeester-Pietrangelo, Edmundson-Parayko; Gunnarsson-Bortuzzo — Tom Timmermann (@tomtimm) March 13, 2017 No Lehtera on ice. Schmaltz, Sanford, Yakupov are extras — Tom Timmermann (@tomtimm) March 13, 2017 That’s not to say that Lehtera is “definitely out.” More information from Head Coach Mike Yeo will come when the team concludes its morning skate at Staples Center and will be updated here once available. (Also, for what it’s worth, Mike Smith is getting the start tonight in Glendale against Colorado. (Los Angeles plays Arizona at Staples Center tomorrow night.) UPDATE: Lehtera is definitely out. Parayko and Stastny are in. Jake Allen will start in goal. -Tonight’s officials are referees Dean Morton and Eric Furlatt and linesmen Bevan Mills and Shane Heyer. Pia Toscano will sing the national anthem. Lots more to come today, Insiders. Seven bells. 1052690 Los Angeles Kings

MARCH 13: REIGN GAME BREAKDOWN

LINDSAY CZARNECKIMARCH 13, 2017

GAME STORYONTARIO REIGN Reign game breakdown In a crisp display of how the Reign can play when all cylinders are pumping in rhythmic unison, Ontario controlled Tucson from start to finish in a 5-0 victory on Sunday in Ontario. Jonny Brodzinski had two goals and an assist and the Reign used a first period in which they outshot the Roadrunners 23-6 to set a strong pace of play. Kurtis MacDermid opened the scoring at 9:06 and that was followed by Brodzinski’s first of the game and a 2-0 lead after 20. In the second, Michael Mersch scored a breakaway goal and Brodzinski scored again. Patrick Bjorkstrand capped the scoring in the third and goalie Jack Campbell stopped all 22 shots he faced for his third shutout of the season. Best quote Brodzinski, on the dominating performance snapping a three-game skid: “Yeah, I mean, it’s tough when you have a few games and you’re not playing your best hockey or you’re playing pretty well one period and then the next period you’re the worst team in the league. So it’s nice to finally put together a full game. Great shutout by Soupy and I think our defense did a great job getting the pucks up to the forwards. The forwards, I think we had a lot better second opportunities tonight, too. Shots off pads and stuff like that. Yesterday we were throwing them right into his glove so I think a well-rounded game by everybody.” Three stars –Jonny Brodzinski – In his three-point performance, Brodzinski put his shot on display — a shot that head coach Mike Stothers said after the game that, “should be outlawed.” For his mark that made it 2-0, he took a cross-ice feed from Cameron Schilling and roofed a wrister over the glove of Tucson goalie Adin Hill. The forechecking of his linemates Mike Amadio and Brett Sutter helped result in the second one, a shot from the slot after Sutter created a turnover, again, high glove. Brodzinski has now taken over the Reign points lead with 45. –Michael Mersch – Since his return from a knee injury, Mersch has looked 100 percent, rarely missing a beat in his first six games back and in this one he had a goal and an assist. He took a pass from Teddy Purcell in the second and went in on a breakaway, putting the puck over the pad of Hill. “Well with [Purcell] you’ve just got to go ’cause he’s going to find a lane no matter what,” Mersch said. “Had a breakaway against these guys before and I went to my backhand so I just figured I’d shoot it this time.” –Jack Campbell – Solidifying his No. 1 status the goaltender they call “Soupy” didn’t have to be brilliant, but he certainly had to be good. A night prior the Reign were guilty of dominating play against the same Roadrunners, only to have a short lapse that consistently resulted in a goal against. He picked up his league-leading 26th win of the season in his third shutout. Turning point How about the start as the turning point? In a carry-over of their third period a night prior, the Reign played virtually the entire opening 20 in Tucson’s end, finally breaking through on the MacDermid goal. The burly defender made an incredible individual effort, picking up a Brodzinski rebound while flying into the slot, zig-zagging around defenders before scoring over Adin Hill while falling. Stat fact –23 – Shots in the opening period, a new AHL-Reign record for shots on goal in a single period of play. This and that off-ice Justin Cummings, 19, and his mother Lynn traveled all the way from Manchester, N.H., to watch the Reign play. The longtime Monarchs season-ticket holders visited with former Monarchs Sean Backman (see below), captain Vincent LoVerde and Michael Mersch. Backman meets with fans Justin and Lynn Cummings, longtime Monarchs season ticket holders who came in from Manchester LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052691 Los Angeles Kings look to exit their zone quickly and play to a disproportionate degree in the attacking end.

“They’re a big, physical team and they gain a lot out of having a good A “must win” game for a team with scant margin for error forecheck, so the key for us is to be quick,” Muzzin said. “Hold-ups, executing our retrievals and getting low smooth and fast, eliminating zone time – that’ll be a focus for us tonight, for sure.” Jon RosenMarch 13, 2017 Also a focus will be trying to accentuate their five-on-five scoring. Los Angeles received two even strength goals in their win over Washington on Saturday and now has three goals at even strength – as well as nine In a enormously important game for their postseason chances, the Los on the power play and one while shorthanded – over the last five games. Angeles Kings will turn to a familiar face in net against a familiar opponent they’ve faced 28 times, including playoffs, dating back to their Very rarely do broadcasters get to say, “He shoots…he scores!” in a 2011-12 home opener. modern game that features more “greasy” goals off rebounds, tips and redirections than actual shots off the rush. The Kings understand that There are some less familiar faces on their side of the rivalry, though. there aren’t style points awarded for how goals go in. Take, for instance, Jarome Iginla, whose 1,540th career game will be his first introduction to the tight checking and physical play associated with “At this stage? No,” Muzzin said. “We’ll take off the butt and in, highlight the Los Angeles-St. Louis rivalry. He should feel right at home. reel, whatever we can take, we’re going to take.” “Yeah, it’s cool, huh?” Jake Muzzin said with a smile on his face. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017 “Sometimes I look over, I’m like, ‘It’s Jarome!’ Obviously we all know leadership, experience, veteran player, presence, shot. Everything he brings to the table is there and it’s nice having it on this team, for sure.” There is no margin for error at this point of the season as Los Angeles (72 points / 15 games remaining) sits below the playoff cutoff and looks up at the standings at St. Louis (75 points / 15 remaining), Nashville (78 points / 14 remaining), Edmonton (79 points / 14 remaining), Calgary (80 points / 14 remaining) and Anaheim (82 points / 13 remaining). Eight of the Kings’ 15 remaining games will pit them against one of the teams above, but all focus at this point is on the team directly in front of them, both in the standings and on the schedule. “Well, it’s a must win game,” said Muzzin, who has adhered similar declarations to particularly important games in the past. “We all know where we are and who we’re trying to catch and they’re ahead of us, so points-wise it’s a huge game. You know, every game for us coming down the stretch here is important, and we’re looking to get points in every one of them.” They’ve done a good job of that over the last six seasons. Los Angeles hasn’t lost at home in regulation to St. Louis since 2010-11 and has won 20 of the last 28 overall in the series, including those from playoff series wins in 2012 and 2013. That matters little for a pair of teams that retain tighter checking and defensively capable characteristics but have recently become more mobile since their most recent heavy-handed playoff series in 2013. “I think our structure and the way we play, they play a similar game, so I guess we just know how to defend really well,” Dustin Brown said. “And if you look at, like tonight, they’ve got Tarasenko. You know who you’ve got to check and be aware of on the ice. They have a lot of really good skilled forwards and good puck-moving defenseman.”¬ Speaking of Vladimir Tarasenko, he is tied for third in the league with 32 goals but has been limited to one assist through the first two games of this year’s season series, in which each team has won in regulation on home ice. He’s been held out of the goal column for six straight head-to- head match-ups since erupting for three goals in a come-from-behind victory on December 16, 2014. “Obviously a few years ago when we played them in the playoffs it was one of our biggest rivalries every game against them,” Trevor Lewis said. “Yeah, they’ve got a little more skill now, but we’ve got to be aware of that and I think it’s good. It’s a big test for us tonight.” After a 5-1 Kings win in the teams’ last meeting, which took place during the team’s previous seven-game home stand, Los Angeles will get its first look of St. Louis as coached by Mike Yeo, who assumed the coaching reins after the team parted ways with Ken Hitchcock on February 1. Yeo: "(LA) is putting plenty of importance and emphasis on this game, so I think if we want to have a good chance to win, we better, too." — St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) March 13, 2017 The Blues’ goaltending has solidified since the most recent match-up, with Jake Allen, who was pulled in the game on January 12, entering tonight’s game with a 1.85 goals-against average and .941 save percentage over his last six outings. With his steadied play, St. Louis’ team save percentage has risen from 30th to 25th in the NHL over the past two months. In order to place pressure on Allen and a St. Louis defense that will be with Colton Parayko, who did not play on Saturday, but without Kevin Shattenkirk, who was traded to Washington at the deadline, the Kings will 1052692 Los Angeles Kings

March 13 morning skate quotes: Brown, Lewis, Muzzin

Jon RosenMarch 13, 2017

The Los Angeles Kings have been in a position before where their backs have been up against the wall. It might not quite be to the extent as this current season, where they’re three points out of the second Wild Card position with 15 games to play – on the day they played their 68th game in 2011-12, they were one point out of playoff position – but there is at least some semblance of precedence, whether in March, 2012 or when facing elimination over seven games in the spring of 2014, that this team has found success under Darryl Sutter in the most trying of times. Is there some sort of comfort being in these situations? “I don’t know if there’s a comfort level,” Trevor Lewis said. “I mean, we wouldn’t like to be in this spot, but I think, yeah, with the leadership group that’s been here and done it before, we know we can do it. This is the thing and we’ve just got to take it one game at a time and starting with tonight, obviously these guys are ahead of us, so it’s a huge game for us. Dustin Brown, on the Kings playing important games against the Blues and the resulting rivalry: Playing a team you’re trying to catch is always fun. I guess, kind of since the league changed the playoffs it kind of changes the dynamic a little bit. It’s more about division than conference now. I mean, we’re in a fight right now with them, though, the way it works out so it should be a good game. Trevor Lewis, on the Kings playing important games against the Blues over the years: Yeah we’ve had many battles with these guys over the past few years here so we know how important it is tonight and we’ve just got to come out ready to go right away. Lewis, on the Kings winning 20 of the last 28, including playoffs, against the Blues: I think usually against these guys it’s always a physical test. They like to bang and I think when we come out and we bang back and show or initiate a little bit, we usually play well. Lewis, on whether the team’s focus is just on catching the Blues: I mean, yeah, I think we just take it one game at a time and we go from there. We’ve got to obviously rack up as many wins as we can here so starting tonight we’ve got to come ready to go and ready right off the bat. Jake Muzzin, on whether this is “the fun part of the year”: I mean obviously the intensity of the games is a lot higher. The meaning of the games are a lot higher and that makes each play that more important so it’s a fun time and like I said before, we’re looking to win every one of these games. Muzzin, on Ben Bishop: He’s been great. You know, he’s vocal, he’s great on the ice, he talks, he plays the puck well. He’s got experience in Tampa and knows how to win so he’s been awesome in this room. Muzzin, on whether bringing Bishop in alongside Quick is a confidence boost: Yeah, yeah. Every night you know your goalie is going to give you an opportunity to win and we’ve just got to look out for the rest. Muzzin, on Iginla’s two-goal game against the Predators: Yeah it was great. You know, we could use some goals and Iggy came in the other night and had two for us and won us the game in overtime so it was great for him to get two and win us the game. So it was nice. Muzzin, on Kempe’s first NHL goal: It’s great. Anytime you see a guy get his first NHL goal you’re happy for him and to do it in that fashion, a special moment for him and hopefully he’s got a few more left in him down the road here. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052693 Los Angeles Kings

Game 68: Los Angeles vs St. Louis

Jon RosenMarch 13, 2017

Game Threads St. Louis Blues 3, Los Angeles Kings 1 Final Radio Feed NHL.com Preview Boxscore Ice Tracker SOG: LAK – 39; STL – 26 PP: LAK – 0/3; STL – 1/3 First Period No scoring Second Period 1) STL – David Perron (14) (Alexander Steen), 13:37 Third Period 2) STL PPG – Magnus Paajarvi (5) (Patrik Berglund, Alex Pietrangelo), 1:10 3) LAK – Dustin Brown (11) (Drew Doughty, Anze Kopitar), 17:05 4) STL ENG – Alexander Steen (14) (Alex Pietrangelo), 19:53 Los Angeles Kings (33-28-6) vs St. Louis Blues (35-27-5) Monday, March 13, 2017, 7:00 p.m. PT Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA Referees: #36 Dean Morton, #27 Eric Furlatt Linesmen: #53 Bevan Mills, #55 Shane Heyer 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: F Nick Shore, D Kevin Gravel, F Jordan Nolan STL starters: G Jake Allen, D Jay Bouwmeester, D Alex Pietrangelo, LW Jaden Schwartz, C Paul Stastny, RW Vladimir Tarasenko STL scratches: F Jori Lehtera, D Jordan Schmaltz, F Nail Yakupov, F Zach Sanford LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052694 Los Angeles Kings

March 13 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter

Jon RosenMarch 13, 2017

Postgame quotes On the hardest part of the 3-1 loss: Couldn’t put the puck in the net until late in the game. I think we did a lot of good things, we just couldn’t finish it. On the challenging look at the standings: The best part of this game, we play again tomorrow. If we win tomorrow night, then you’re going to say that it looks good again. One way or the other. On whether the team didn’t create enough scoring chances: I think we had 21 shots in the second period. They had a one-foot tap in and we didn’t until we pulled the goalie. You’ve got to get your nose in there around that blue paint. I’ve said it lots. Once in a while it hits you in the ass and it goes in, once in a while you get poked in the nose and you bang it in, just like Perron did. On whether he “scratches [his] head” over the team’s inability to score five-on-five: No. I mean, we had a lot of guys in the lineup that don’t have a goal this year, so I don’t really scratch my head over it. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052695 Los Angeles Kings

March 13 postgame quotes: Kopitar, Doughty

Jon RosenMarch 13, 2017

Anze Kopitar, on how hard the loss is to accept and move past: It definitely stings, but at the same time we have another one tomorrow, which is obviously a big one, and we’ve got to get the two points tomorrow. Kopitar, on the challenges in beating Jake Allen despite high shot volume and momentum at times: Every time we play those guys, it seems like it’s a defensive battle, and tonight was no different. I don’t think our power play was at a level that it needed to be, and obviously they got one on the power play, so that was the difference. Kopitar, on playing again tomorrow, and whether it’s difficult or good to play again so quickly: Obviously you want to correct your mistake of not getting two points tonight. I don’t think it’s all that bad going right back at it tomorrow, and obviously we’ve got to make sure that we score a few more goals and get the two points. On whether the team will pay attention to the standings or “just go out and play”: First of all, we’ve got to go out and take care of our business, which is getting the two points. We feel like if we do that and do our job, the dominoes are going to fall the way they will. But we’ve got to go out obviously and take care of our own business. Drew Doughty, on the challenges in the team’s current spot in the standings: Just not pay attention to the standings, not pay attention to what the other teams did and just worry about us and win every single game for the rest of the season. Doughty on how much this game stung, given the implications: Yeah, that one stung. We were pretty excited for the game, obviously before, knowing what was at stake, and before the game [we felt good] getting the two points. We had some chances, and I think if we capitalized on a few of those chances the game’s a lot different. But it’s a frustrating loss and we’ve got to get over it real quick, because we play tomorrow and we’ve got to win that game. [Reporter: Is that almost a good thing to get right back on it?] Yeah, I guess so. We’re a team that’s pretty good at putting things behind us and moving onto the next game and learning from the mistakes we made, but we kind of just get right back at it against an Arizona team. It’ll be good for us to get some confidence going, hopefully, and play our real L.A. Kings style of hockey game and get a big win. Doughty, on not being able to capitalize on chances: I think that was the main reason, because when you’re not capitalizing on chances and the other team’s goalie is making big saves – obviously Quickie does that for us all the time, too – but when you don’t capitalize, that gives the other team momentum. They feel like nothing’s going to get by their goalie and they’re playing well defensively, so if you get one or two by ‘em, then all of a sudden they’re on their heels and then you get three, four by ‘em. Yeah, we need to capitalize on chances, and at the same time we’re still giving up too many odd-man rushes and stuff like that that we need to stop allowing. Doughty, on heavy second period pressure on Jake Allen: Yeah, I don’t know what to tell you. We should’ve scored some goals, and I think we all know that in here. It’s not just about bearing down on those chances, it’s about creating more chances, giving them less chances, and that’s how we’ll eventually score goals. You’re not going to score on every shot you take and any chance you have, but the more chances you create, the more opportunity you have to score. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052696 Los Angeles Kings weeks though were probably the worst I’ve ever had. They were really tough for me to go through personally on and off the ice and, you know, I wanted to work my way out of it and I felt ever since I’ve gotten out of March 13 postgame quotes: St. Louis that slump I’ve only gotten better so hopefully I can carry it into the playoffs.

Allen, on any indicators that he’s playing well: Bo HambyMarch 13, 2017 Not really, you know I think I’ve been playing well lately. I’ve been practicing a lot, I’ve been working hard and just trying to give the guys an honest chance every single night. I think that’s my objective from here on Mike Yeo, on whether the win was the most important game of the out, is to give our team an honest chance to win every game and if I can season: do that and do my job, maybe steal a game here or there, so that’s what the last 14 games are all about. Up until the next one. That’s what we were just commenting on that every game is huge. But I think both teams understood the significance of this Allen, on scoring the first goal: game tonight and I think it showed in the desperation from both teams. You know, obviously Jake was outstanding tonight and from top to Yeah it was a great play. Great pass by Steener and I couldn’t tell what bottom we had a really strong team effort. happened. Quick might’ve made the save and Perron knocked the rebound in but great play. Good patience by Steener there to see him Yeo, on when he knew Jake Allen “was on his game”: and just to get us on the board first changes everything for us. Well, Marty said right from the morning that he was ready to go so I listen Allen, on a shutout being taken away late in the game: to Marty. He seems to get it. But he was on it, he’s been sharp lately so he gives us a lot of confidence going into the game that he’ll pick up right I could care less about shutouts. As long as we’re winning. If I don’t get a where he left off. shutout the rest of my career but I get 30 wins a year then there you go. But, you know, they just threw a puck to the net. Went through a couple, Yeo, on Allen stopping 21 of 21 shots in the second period: hit me and I don’t know what happened. Went in. Yeah, and some quality chances as well. Early in the second period there David Perron, on Allen’s play: was a couple really good opportunities that he stood in real strong for and just can’t say enough about how important it is to grab a lead in a Jake was on top of his game and it was pretty incredible the way he game like this for us so he gave us that chance. played. Thought the first period that we started defending pretty well and then we got on the offense and I think that kind of pushed them back just Yeo, on the key to turning the Blues around since he took over as head a little bit and again, in games like that getting the first goal is big. coach: Perron, on the confidence Allen can give the Blues: I don’t know. I mean, I think we’re just trying to approach it one game at a time here. You know, this was a great challenge for us and we know our Yeah I think we’ve always had the same confidence in him throughout next one’s going to be as well and we’re just trying to stay in the moment, the whole year, throughout the ups and downs of our team play. But most just trying to get prepared every game and we’re all also in a fight here, likely, when a goalie’s not doing as well, a lot of times there’s a lot of so we don’t have the luxury of relaxing a little bit here. We know that we holes in the game for us and obviously we want him to play like that have to keep pushing and the guys are doing a heck of a job. every night and he certainly delivered tonight. [Reporter: Do you see more confidence in him though now?] No, like I said, I think Jake’s been Yeo, on whether this game was a “gut-check type moment”: Jake all year and I think everyone goes through streaks where it’s tougher and like I said, when you’re the goalie you’re the last option to I think, you know, there was points when we were in the five-game losing save a goal there and a lot of times it shows in our team play that we streak where we still felt like we were building our game. We were weren’t doing enough for him, too, I think. recognizing the things that we weren’t doing well enough and you learn from those situations and those times as well. You know, I think what Perron, on his goal: was probably even more important is some of the big wins we’ve had recently and just the picture that it paints in the player’s heads as far as Yeah, I think it’s something we have to do more. Use the F3 in the middle what we’re doing and why we’re getting the results – is a huge key for us. there and Steener was in the perfect spot and then Rig and I just kind of both drove the net and I wasn’t sure the lane would be that open. I was Yeo, on putting together some wins after a five game losing streak: trying to just redirect it on net and then Quick was kind of on his belly there and I was able to get the rebound. I think we felt that we, you know, we had lost five games in a row. We didn’t feel that we deserved to lose five games in a row. Every one of Perron, on the importance of starting a road trip with a win: them was a one-goal game and we just weren’t finding a way to put pucks in the net despite getting some opportunities so we knew that our It’s great. We’ve got four more games and obviously playing in Anaheim game wasn’t quite good enough but that said, we also weren’t that far off. next game is going to be special for me. It’s always tougher to play in that Like I said, we’ve been building a game and I think now we go into building on the road and we’re going to look to keep it going. games with a clear picture of what to expect from each other and what’s needed from each individual and with that comes some confidence. Perron, on “getting pretty good at scoring goals against the Kings”: Jake Allen, on the Kings late-game push: Yeah, it’s funny, my other night… Eight years before last year I don’t know how many I scored on Quick and last year I got 4 in 4 against LA Oh yeah, you know they were going to come. They’re chasing us. You and scored again this year so it’s good. know, we didn’t expect any different. They pressed and we got the win. It was a huge win for us. If they would’ve got a point or two points it closes Perron, on what’s changed for the Blues since their last game in LA (a 5- the gap so big win. 1 loss): Allen, on stopping 21 of 21 shots in the second period: Well it’s actually like, sometimes you lose guys. We lost Shatty, we lost Fabbri for the year and I think you really have to bear down on all the Fun. I enjoyed it. Gear just gets a little more wet, that’s all. details even more than you should. Not that you should, you should be doing that all the time but I think you kind of just bear down even more Allen, on the importance of beating Los Angeles: and it was just a fun game to play in, a great game. I think mostly against the Kings in the past they ended our season two years in a row I think it Yeah I think we did a good job. We didn’t, in here, think of it as any was and knowing that they’ve been so successful we knew that they different game. Just another game, you know, the standings will take would be ready. We had to bring our best game and we found a way to care of itself at the end of the year. We just wanted to get a win but kind of get a bigger lead on them in the standings. obviuosly you have to have a realistic approach, too. I think the guys did a really good job with the way they approached this game and I think if LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017 we came in a little bit thinking too much, you know, ‘We’ve got to win. We’ve got to win’, it might’ve went a different way. I think we just prepared like it was another game and got the win. Allen, on his progression through the season: To me, I think I’ve had a really solid year except a really terrible three weeks. Other than that I think I’ve had a good year. And those three 1052697 Los Angeles Kings

March 13 postgame notes

Jon RosenMarch 13, 2017

-With the loss, Los Angeles fell to 75-98-26 all-time against St. Louis, a record that includes a 48-37-14 home mark. The loss was the first home regulation loss to the Blues since March 18, 2011, snapping a7-0-1 stretch, and was St. Louis ninth win (and only second road win) in the last 29 games of the series, including playoff games. The Blues won the season series for the second consecutive year, going 2-1-0. -The Kings fell to 19-15-4 against the Western Conference, 10-6-3 against the Central Division, 5-7 in two-goal games, 5-7-0 in their last 12 home games, 14-24-2 when the opponent scores first, 12-10-1 when tied after one period and 25-20-2 when outshooting their opponent. -Los Angeles’ five-game power play goal streak was snapped in the 3-1 loss. -The Kings scored their third goal in 29 games with their goalie pulled. None of the three goals was a game-tying goal. Alex Steen’s goal was the 13th empty-net goal allowed this season. -Los Angeles was held to either no goals or one goal for the 22nd time in 68 games. -Alec Martinez’s four-game point streak was snapped. -Jonathan Quick lost for the first time in regulation this season. He is now 4-1-1 with a 2.33 goals-against average and .917 save percentage. -The Kings attempted 86 shots (39 on goal, 23 blocked, 24 missed). St. Louis attempted 48 shots (26 on goal, 11 blocked, 11 missed). Adrian Kempe, Tyler Toffoli and Jay Bouwmeester tied with a game-high four shots on goal -Los Angeles won 32-of-68 faceoffs (47%). Among regular performers, Anze Kopitar won 12-of-23, Trevor Lewis won 0-of-3, Nic Dowd won 4-of- 10, Adrian Kempe won 3-of-11 and Jeff Carter won 12-of-20. The Kings are scheduled to hold a 10:00 a.m. morning skate at Toyota Sports Center on March 13. There is a good chance this will be an optional skate. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2017

1052698 Minnesota Wild

Martin Hanzal expected to miss last two games of road trip

By Michael Russo MARCH 13, 2017 — 1:50PM

Good afternoon from Kettler Iceplex in Arlington, Va., the Caps' practice facility where Bruce Boudreau used to spend a lot of his days. After yesterday's loss, Boudreau asked his leadership corps if the Wild minded switching off-days and practicing today rather than Friday. The reason? Two-fold: 1) With a winter storm headed to D.C., Boudreau was worried Tuesday's morning skate could be scrapped; 2) The Wild has only had two practices since the bye and Boudreau wanted the goalies to get reps and to reinforce a bunch of stuff. The leaders were fine with it, so here they were. Same lines in practice, but I hear Tyler Graovac will be recalled with Martin Hanzal expected to miss the rest of the road trip -- final two games -- with the flu. Boudreau had a good chat with Devan Dubnyk this morning after yanking him in Chicago after allowing two goals on two shots. Boudreau told Dubnyk he probably got too wound up facing so quickly a multiple-goal deficit for the third straight meetings against the Hawks. Dubnyk said he appreciated the talk, and Boudreau said he fully believes Dubnyk will get his game together after a couple shaky goalies in recent starts. "I wasn’t upset with the decision at all," Dubnyk said. "I felt fine. I've played enough games. I don’t get nervous or rattled. I know my job at that point is to try to make the next save and try to keep it at two, and I was ready to do that. But I completely understand in that situation at that part of the game that you need a spark, and I told him that after." Said Boudreau, "He’s our guy, and we’ll live and die with him." The Wild has lost four of its past six games. The Capitals have lost seven of their past 12 and four in a row in regulation for the first time almost 2 ½ years. The Wild’s in danger of losing its standing atop the Western Conference. The Capitals, too, have led the Eastern Conference since Jan. 15 but are in danger of losing their spot if the Pittsburgh Penguins takes care of business in Calgary Monday night. What’s more, Alex Ovechkin, who has 10 goals in 10 career games against Minnesota, has gone a franchise-long 10 straight games without a goal and 18 games without an even-strength goal. “He’ll get out of it one day. I just hope it’s not [Tuesday],” quipped Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. Said Dubnyk, "I don’t think it matters if he’s got 10 straight with a goal or without, he’s a unique threat. You have no choice but to be aware of him when he’s out there. He likes to shoot the puck, and you’ve got to be prepared for it. He slings it from everywhere. Sometimes it comes off funny when he’s just whpping it from the boards, and it comes at you in a hurry." The Capitals were 17-2-1 entering their mid-February “bye,” averaging 4.65 goals per game in that span. Since, they’re 5-6-1 with 26 goals scored (2.12 per game). That’s remarkable considering this is a team that before its bye scored five or more goals for 10 consecutive home games. Before being swept on their California trek, the Capitals had their 15- game home winning streak snapped by the Dallas Stars. Boudreau is surprised by the Capitals’ recent skid, and I wrote about that for Tuesday's paper. I have a ton of good stuff from Boudreau about his time with the Caps, and that'll be in Wednesday's paper. Sorry for the rushed blog, but I have a Pentagon tour to get to. A couple Wild players have a cool White House tour lined up, too, which I hope to write about Wednesday. I'll be on KFAN at 9 a.m. Star Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052699 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Washington game preview

March 14, 2017 — 12:41AM Michael Russo

6 p.m. at Washington • Verizon Center • FSN, 100.3-FM Preview: The top teams in the East and West meet for the first time this season. Both are slumping. The Capitals have lost four consecutive games in regulation for the first time since 2014 and are 5-6-1 since their bye; the Wild has lost four of six and is 4-4 since its bye. The Wild is tied for second in the NHL with 220 goals; the Capitals are fourth with 217, but they have 26 in the past 12 games. Players to WATCH: Goalie Devan Dubnyk is coming off his shortest start with the Wild. He was yanked 4:38 into the Chicago game after allowing two goals on two shots. C Eric Staal has three goals in the past two games; the Wild is 16-1 when he scores. Staal leads Minnesota with 71 points (27 goals) in 72 contests against Washington— his most points vs. any NHL team. RW Mikael Granlund leads with 23 goals and ranks 12th in the NHL with 63 points. LW Alex Ovechkin has no goals in a career- long 10 straight games and no even-strength goals in 18. He has 10 goals and four assists in 10 meetings all-time against the Wild. C Nicklas Backstrom ranks third with 47 assists and is tied for seven with 68 points. RW T.J. Oshie is second on the Capitals with 26 goals. Numbers: The Wild is 17-4-2 following a loss of any kind. … The Wild is 2-6-1 all-time in Washington. … The Capitals have scored more than two goals in only two of their past 12 games and two or fewer in six straight. Injuries: Wild C Martin Hanzal (sick). D Christian Folin (upper body) and D Gustav Olofsson (upper body) are out. Capitals D Kevin Shattenkirk (suspended) and D Andre Burakovsky (hand) are out. Star Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052700 Minnesota Wild “Is there a better offensive line than [T.J.] Oshie, Backstrom and Ovechkin? I don’t think so. [Evgeny] Kuznetsov is pretty good on the second line, too. All these guys I had when they were very young. I knew Wild, Capitals in danger of losing footing in conference standings where their talents were, so you knew. They’ve done a great job keeping them together. Eventually they’re going to grow up and they’re going to win it all.” By Michael Russo Star Tribune And, after outplaying the Blackhawks, outshooting them 44-22 and giving up only seven scoring chances but losing, Boudreau badly wants the March 14, 2017 — 12:43AM Wild to beat Washington. “The whole goal is to show our team, to give them the confidence, quite frankly, that, ‘Look you can play with those guys. See what you’re ARLINGTON, VA. – The much-anticipated 1-vs.-1 showdown between doing,’ ” Boudreau said. “That’s why they felt so good after the [recent] the Wild and Washington Capitals has taken a different narrative now San Jose win. I mean, San Jose had beaten everybody and all of a that both teams enter their first of two meetings this season in the midst sudden we dominate them. The score was only 3-1, but we dominated of their toughest stretches in months. those guys. You say, ‘See, you can play with these boys.’ That’s what it The Wild has lost four of its past six games. The Capitals have lost seven does. of their past 12 and four in a row in regulation for the first time almost 2½ “That’s how you build up a nest egg.” years. Star Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2017 The Wild is in danger of losing its standing atop the Western Conference. The Capitals, too, have led the Eastern Conference since Jan. 15, but the Pittsburgh Penguins reached a tie in the standings in a 4-3 shootout loss Monday night. What’s more, Alex Ovechkin, who has 10 goals in 10 career games against Minnesota, has gone a franchise-long 10 consecutive games without a goal and 18 games without an even-strength goal. “He’ll get out of it one day. I just hope it’s not [Tuesday],” quipped Wild coach Bruce Boudreau. The Capitals had a closed-door team meeting following their loss in Anaheim on Sunday night to end an 0-for-3 California swing. Meanwhile, Boudreau — who began his NHL coaching career guiding Ovechkin and one of his favorite players ever, Nicklas Backstrom, in Washington — scrapped Monday’s planned off-day and practiced his team instead at his old beloved Caps practice facility. So, each desperate team could be ornery Tuesday night, which could make for an entertaining contest. The Wild will be without center Martin Hanzal, who has the flu, for the final two games of the road trip, GM Chuck Fletcher said. The Wild planned to recall center Tyler Graovac. Boudreau said practicing Monday was no punishment. With a snowstorm heading to Washington, he was worried Tuesday’s morning skate could be canceled, and with only two practices since the Wild’s bye in late February, he felt goalie Devan Dubnyk and his teammates needed reps. In fact, after pulling Dubnyk, who allowed two goals on two shots the day before in Chicago, Boudreau had a “good talk” with the goalie Monday morning and admitted he may have gotten too wound up by facing a multiple-goal deficit for the fourth consecutive game against Chicago, and so quickly. “And I appreciated that,” Dubnyk said. “I wasn’t upset with the decision at all. I felt fine. I’ve played enough games. I don’t get nervous or rattled. I know my job at that point is to try to make the next save and try to keep it at two, and I was ready to do that. But I completely understand in that situation at that part of the game that you need a spark, and I told him that after.” Dubnyk has been shaky his past two starts, but Boudreau remains confident in the most consistent goalie he says he has ever had. “He’s the guy we’re leaning on,” Boudreau said. “He’s our guy, and we’ll live and die with him.” The Capitals were 17-2-1 entering their mid-February “bye,” averaging 4.65 goals per game in that span. Since then, they’re 5-6-1 with 26 goals scored (2.12 per game). That’s remarkable considering this is a team that before its bye scored five or more goals for 10 consecutive home games. Before being swept on their California trek, the Capitals had their 15- game home winning streak snapped by the Dallas Stars. Boudreau is surprised by the Capitals’ recent skid. “They have no weaknesses. They’re a fabulous team,” said Boudreau, who won four division titles in Washington and won the Jack Adams Award as Coach of the Year in 2008. “They don’t have any missing parts. “Their fourth line is [Jay] Beagle, [Daniel] Winnik and [Tom] Wilson. Wilson’s a first-round pick, it’s his fourth year, he’s really started to become a player and a force. I had Winnik, loved him as a player. Loved Beagle as a player. That’s your fourth line, all over 6-3 and they come at you. 1052701 Minnesota Wild

Charlie Coyle showing some life. Wild hope it’s for real by Dane Mizutani / 13h /

ARLINGTON, Va. — Charlie Coyle likely wishes he could turn the clock back to 2016. He hasn’t had much luck since the calendar turned. While the Western Conference-leading Wild (43-18-6, 92 points) have managed to maintain their miraculous pace, the center/wing has lagged behind. Coyle, 25, has three goals over the past three months and his confidence has plummeted. His up-and-down play — mostly down — has especially frustrated coach Bruce Boudreau, who believes Coyle has the potential to be a dominant force with his 6-foot-3, 220-pound frame. But Coyle appears to be breaking out of his slump. Since being demoted to the fourth line for Thursday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Coyle has had three solid games after a 10-game stretch without a point. “He’s skating and he’s competing in all areas of the ice,” Boudreau said. “You have a 6-foot-3, 220-pound guy that can skate like the wind and he’s hard to contain.” Boudreau couldn’t explain why sometimes Coyle doesn’t use that to his benefit — “If I could, I’d be making a lot more money than I am right now,” he snapped — and has tried everything to get through to Coyle: talking to him, not talking to him, letting him work through it, dropping him in the lineup. “It is my job to find the Achilles’ heel,” Boudreau said. Something has clicked as of late. Coyle played well in a loss at Tampa Bay, though he couldn’t find the stat sheet. He got rewarded a day later in a win at Florida with an assist and empty-net goal. “I was so happy he scored a goal,” Boudreau said afterward. “He played a really good game (against the Lightning), and we knew if he could build on that, success would follow.” Coyle continued that solid play in Sunday’s 4-2 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, pouring in a season-high six shots on net. He could have — probably should have — had at least two goals in that matchup had it not been for the solid play of Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford. The key for Coyle is to continue building his game, something he hasn’t done all season. “No stretch of the imagination do I think, ‘Oh yeah. He is cured now,’ ” Boudreau said. “He has to keep pushing.” MARQUEE MATCHUP Tuesday’s game at Verizon Center pits the best team in the NHL, the Washington Capitals, against the second-best, the Wild. Yet both teams are struggling. The Capitals have lost four games in a row in regulation for the first time since Oct. 26, 2014 to Nov. 2, 2014. The Wild have lost 4 of 6 and are reeling toward the back end of a weeklong road trip that started five days ago. BRIEFLY Boudreau scrapped a scheduled off day on Monday and had the Wild practice at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex, the Capitals’ practice rink. “We haven’t practiced in so long that I felt like we needed a practice,” he said. “We just switched days off. … I just asked if they minded practicing (Monday) instead of Friday. They wanted to, and here we are.” Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052702 Montreal Canadiens The Canadiens finished the game with 41 shots, which is good. The fact they could only score twice with goalie Cam Talbot in net wasn’t so good.

Julien said he wasn’t frustrated by the Canadiens’ inability to score until Stu Cowan: It wasn't pretty but Canadiens return home in first place Byron finally beat Talbot at the 13:13 mark of the third period to tie the score 1-1. STU COWAN, MONTREAL GAZETTE “The thing we couldn’t do, as a coaching staff and as a team, was to get frustrated,” Julien said. “We had to stick with it and when you end up with Published on: March 13, 2017 | Last Updated: March 13, 2017 12:13 PM those kind of wins it makes you realize how important it is to stick with it. EDT “We get to go home with three wins out of four games (including a 4-1 win over the Rangers in New York before heading West) and it was a tough road trip to start with, everything that we’ve had to face from the flu It wasn’t pretty, but the Canadiens returned home from their three-game going around the team and everything else. We’re pretty happy with the Western Canada road trip with a 2-1-0 record and still in first place in the road trip and we’re really happy with the way it ended today.” Atlantic Division. More points in the standing — but it really wasn’t pretty. At the end of the season, they don’t ask how — they just ask how many points in the NHL standings. Unless you were looking at Carey Price. The Canadiens earned four out of a possible six points despite scoring Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2017 only three goals in nine regulation-time periods with a goaltender guarding the opposition’s net. Paul Byron scored half of the Canadiens’ six total goals on the trip, including one in overtime for a 2-1 victory in Vancouver and another into an empty net during Sunday’s 4-1 win in Edmonton. The Canadiens were shut out 5-0 in Calgary. The other goal-scorers on the trip were Torrey Mitchell, who ended a 39- game goal drought in Vancouver, and Max Pacioretty, who had two in Edmonton — including an empty-netter. That’s it. It was enough for four more points in the standings, but not nearly enough offence to convince me the Canadiens have enough scoring depth to go far in the playoffs. Then again, the way Carey Price has been playing recently, the Canadiens only need to score two goals to win a game. Price improved his personal winning streak to six games by stopping 24 of 25 shots in Edmonton. He has stopped 159 of 165 shots during his streak for a .964 save percentage, allowing only one goal in each of his last four games and posting a shutout the game before that. Since Claude Julien took over for Michel Therrien as head coach on Valentine’s Day, Price is 7-2-0 with a 1.31 GAA and a .952 save percentage. The Canadiens are now two points ahead of Ottawa in the Atlantic Division, but the Senators hold two games in hand. The Canadiens returned home immediately after Sunday’s game and enjoyed a day off Monday in Montreal. They will face the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday night at the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., SNE, RDS, TSN Radio 690). The Senators are also back in action Tuesday night when they play host to the Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m., TSN5, RDS2). Good night from Edmonton where #Habs beat #Oilers 4-1 to end Western Canada road trip pic.twitter.com/z63rpfknUC — Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) March 13, 2017 “We’re only focused on us,” Price said when asked about the Senators. “We’re not worried about anybody else.” The Canadiens will have to worry about the Senators next weekend when they play back-to-back games against them Saturday in Ottawa (7 p.m., SN, TVA Sports, TSN Radio 690) and Sunday at the Bell Centre (7:30 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN Radio 690). The Canadiens came out slow — again — against the Oilers with only three shots on goal in the first 10 minutes, but picked things up to outshoot Edmonton 15-6 in the first period, but the score was 0-0. During the intermission, Julien juggled his lines, putting Alex Galchenyuk at centre on the No. 1 line with Pacioretty and Alexander Radulov. “I didn’t think we were getting a ton of offence until maybe the last five minutes of the first period, so I just decided to go and make a few changes,” Julien said. “But it wasn’t so much about stacking that first line. It was about the other lines … what could they do?” By the end of the game, the other lines had Phillip Danault between Byron and Brendan Gallagher; Torrey Mitchell between Artturi Lehkonen and Andrew Shaw; while the fourth line remained Steve Ott between Dwight King and Mike McCarron. “Those other lines created some good offence as well,” Julien said. “Gallagher played one of his best games and he created a lot of stuff. Paulie Byron does the same thing and Lehkonen we saw around the net with Shaw. I thought Mitchell played a solid game for us in that position. So we had other guys step up when we mixed the lines up. But there’s no doubt your top three more-or-less goal-scorers are reunited on the line and did a great job there, too.” 1052703 Montreal Canadiens

Canadiens vs. Blackhawks, 7:30 p.m.: Five things to know

Pat Hickey, Published on: March 14, 2017 | Last Updated: March 14, 2017 6:00 AM EDT

The Canadiens are home to the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday (7:30 p.m., Sportsnet East, RDS., TSN Radio 690). Here are five things you should know about the game: Both teams sizzling: The Canadiens and the Blackhawks boast 8-2-0 records in their last 10 games and only the Calgary Flames (9-0-1) have a better record over that stretch. The Canadiens are clinging to a two- point lead over Ottawa in the Atlantic Division, with the Senators holding two games in hand. Chicago beat Minnesota 4-2 on Sunday and is one point behind the Wild in the Central Division race. Max the Rocket Man: With two goals in Montreal’s 4-1 win in Edmonton Sunday night, Max Pacioretty has moved into contention for the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy that is presented to the leading goal-scorer in the NHL. The captain has scored 33 goals and is one behind league leader Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Paul Byron also scored twice Sunday and has a career-high 18. Price bars the door: That 4-1 score in Edmonton flatters the Canadiens because two of those goals were empty-netters. Montreal continues to have trouble scoring, but they are winning because goaltender Carey Price has been outstanding since the winter break. He has a 7-2-0 record and has a current six-game win streak. He has allowed only 12 goals in those nine games and he has a .952 save percentage. Return of the native: Chicago goaltender Scott Darling leads the NHL with a .931 save percentage but he probably wouldn’t have started this game even if he wasn’t returning from an injury. The honours go to Châtaeuguay’s Corey Crawford, who has never lost to Montreal in regulation. Crawford, who is coming off a 42-save performance against Minnesota, has a 6-0-2 career record against Montreal with a 1.49 goals- against average and a .951 save percentage. Raising Kane: Chicago’s Patrick Kane is making a push for a second consecutive Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s top scorer. He’s closing in on Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. Kane has scored 30 goals and has 73 points, two shy of McDavid. Kane isn’t Chicago’s only scoring threat. Artemi Panarin, Artem Anisimov and Marian Hossa each have 22 goals, while Jonathan Toews , who missed nine games earlier this season, has 17. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052704 Nashville Predators

Preds top Jets in overtime

Adam Vingan , USA TODAY NETWORK — Tennessee Published 9:52 p.m. CT March 13, 2017 | Updated 8 hours ago

The Predators returned from a solid showing on a three-game road trip by defeating the Jets 5-4 in overtime Monday at Bridgestone Arena. Predators forward James Neal's game-winning power-play goal sealed a rare three-on-three victory, Nashville's third in 10 tries this season and fifth in 24 tries since the start of last season. Grounding opponents: The Jets, whose playoff chances have evaporated, grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first period, requiring the Predators to battle back from a multi-goal deficit for the fifth time in 14 games. Nashville's 3-2 lead in the opening seconds of the second period became a 4-3 deficit less than 10 minutes later as Winnipeg seized control again. Mounting comebacks isn't an issue for the Predators, but maintaining leads is. Defensive issues: In 20 games since the NHL All-Star break, the Predators have allowed 65 goals, which translates to a per-game average of 3.25. Neither goaltender Pekka Rinne, who started Monday and gave up four goals for the fifth time in nine appearances since the bye week, nor backup Juuse Saros are solely to blame for what is a team-wide issue. The Predators often generate more scoring chances than their opponents, but those they allow are of the high-quality variety. Nashville's aggressive mindset leaves the team vulnerable to those chances. Forsberg's pursuit: Predators forward Filip Forsberg's second-period goal, his 13th in his past 14 games, brought his season total to 28. He needs six in the Predators' final 12 games to set the single-season franchise record, which he tied last season. Forsberg later assisted on Predators center Ryan Johansen's game-tying goal in the third period. Up next: A two-game road trip begins Thursday against the Washington Capitals (6 p.m., Fox TN). The Predators defeated the Capitals at Bridgestone Arena on Feb. 25. Tennessean LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052705 New Jersey Devils

Snow could make Tuesday's Devils game very unusual

Chris Ryan on March 13, 2017 at 3:30 PM, updated March 13, 2017 at 3:42 PM

NEWARK -- As of Monday afternoon, the Devils were still preparing to play Tuesday night's game against the Winnipeg Jets with a nor'easter bearing down on New Jersey. But the Devils are also bracing for odd circumstances if the game is played. The snow could still keep some fans from making the trek through the blizzard to the Prudential Center. The crowd may end up being bigger than the 334 people who braved a massive snow storm to see the Devils on Jan. 22, 1987, but it could still be a significantly smaller-than-usual crowd. If the Prudential Center is quieter than usual, it could have an impact (just like no arena music had an impact on players during a March 5 NBA game between the Knicks and Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden). "When it comes to the game, I think sometimes it affects you more at a home game, because you're at home, you don't have that advantage of the fans in the stands," Devils coach John Hynes said. "If that's the case, we'll make sure we address it though." The snow could also impact the rest of the day for the Devils, who would usually have a morning skate. The players may not have the chance to get on the ice during the day if the game is played, "You'd like those circumstances to not impact the game, but it's out of a routine," Hynes said. "It's something that if it does happen, we talked to our guys about it today, you need to make sure, even it's certain things they do here, like stretching and rolling, they need to bring some stuff home with them." Forward Miles Wood hasn't dealt with traveling through many major snow storms to get to games, so Tuesday could be a new experience. "If it snowed that hard, I was staying at home by the fire," Wood laughed. But don't worry, Wood quickly replied when asked if he's ready to brave the tundra. "Oh yeah," Wood said. Star Ledger LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052706 New Jersey Devils

Why John Quenneville hasn't gotten Devils call up from Albany

Chris Ryan on March 13, 2017 at 2:48 PM

NEWARK -- After the trade deadline and a handful of injuries, several players were recalled from Albany to the Devils, but one surprising name is still in the AHL. Forward John Quenneville, the 30th overall pick in the 2014 NHL draft, is still skating in Albany. He was briefly called up for two games in December before being sent back down, and over 53 games this season, Quenneville leads the Albany Devils with 41 points. Devils coach John Hynes said Qunneville has been on the team's radar, but they're just giving him more time to improve on things outside his scoring in the AHL. "John's been pretty productive, point-wise. Just some other areas of his game, similar to Joe (Blandisi) last year," Hynes said. "He's got some offensive skill and is producing down there, but getting his overall game a little bit better, more seasoned, before he comes up." Along with his December call up, Quenneville was one of the latest cuts in training camp when the Devils were getting close to their final roster. While Quenneville has been behind other forwards such as Kevin Rooney, Blake Pietila, Blake Coleman and Nick Lappin in the line of recent recalls, Hynes foresees Quenneville making an appearance. "He's a guy we talked about this afternoon and we think he's playing well," Hynes said. "He's one of the players we'd certainly like to see down the stretch here, and his time will come." Star Ledger LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052707 New Jersey Devils

Devils injuries: Updates on Michael Cammalleri, Jacob Josefson, Devante Smith-Pelly

Chris Ryan on March 13, 2017 at 2:17 PM, updated March 13, 2017 at 2:39 PM

NEWARK -- The Devils returned to Newark for practice on Monday after a three-game road trip, but three players were still missing. Forwards Michael Cammalleri (upper body), Jacob Josefson (upper body) and Devante Smith-Pelly (lower body) all missed practice, but Cammalleri did skate on his own in the morning. He has missed the past five games after crashing awkwardly into the boards on March 2 against the Washington Capitals. Josefson missed his sixth game on Saturday and has not resumed skating. Smith-Pelly aggravated a lower body injury at practice on Friday and missed Saturday's game. He did not skate on Monday. None are expected to play on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets -- if the game is not wiped out by snow. The Devils did welcome forward Travis Zajac back on the ice after he missed Saturday's game to be with his wife for the birth of their third child, Anya Zia. Zajac will play on Tuesday against the Jets. Star Ledger LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052708 New Jersey Devils

What Devils will do for Tuesday's game vs. Jets in event of snow

Chris Ryan on March 13, 2017 at 12:02 PM, updated March 13, 2017 at 3:31 PM

The Devils are scheduled to play the Winnipeg Jets at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Prudential Center, right at the tail end of a nor'easter ready to pummel New Jersey with up to 20 inches of snow on Tuesday. No decision has been made either way about the game, and a final call comes down the league. The Devils said they and everyone else are waiting to see how the situation develops. The Jets play the Nashville Predators on Monday night in Nashville and are scheduled to travel to New Jersey immediately following the game. If the Jets and referees make it to New Jersey without any issues, the game could be played. The Devils would have trouble rescheduling the game for Wednesday, since they play a back-to-back on Thursday and Friday against the Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins before a 1 p.m. game on Sunday against the Blue Jackets. Both the Devils and Jets have a three-day break on March 27, 28 and 29, so the Jets could -- in theory --fly back to New Jersey after a game on March 26 before returning home for another game on March 30. Star Ledger LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052709 New Jersey Devils

Devils have high interest in St. Lawrence defenseman Gavin Bayreuther, report says

Chris Ryan on March 13, 2017 at 5:14 PM, updated March 13, 2017 at 5:26 PM

The signing period for unrestricted free agents coming out of college is open, and the Devils are among the teams interested in St. Lawrence defenseman Gavin Bayreuther, per a published report. According to TSN's Bob McKenzie, the Devils, along with the Buffalo Sabres, Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche, have high interest in signing senior defenseman, whose season and career at St. Lawrence are now over. McKenzie reported a decision is expected in the coming days. Bayreuther is listed as a 6-1, 194-pound lefty defenseman, originally from Canaan, New Hampshire. He is the cousin of current Devils defenseman Ben Lovejoy, and he also attended Devils development camp last summer. In 30 games during his senior season, Bayreuther finished with 29 points. In 142 games over four seasons, he recorded 35 goals and 76 assists. Star Ledger LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052710 New Jersey Devils

Devils Q&A: Miles Wood on rookie season, what he still wants to improve

Updated March 14, 2017 Posted March 14, 2017 By Chris Ryan

NEWARK -- Forward Miles Wood has been one of the pleasant surprises for the Devils this season, with the rookie bursting onto the scene as a regular fixture in the lineup with his speed and physicality. As Wood approaches the end of his rookie season, where he has eight goals and eight assists in 46 games since a November recall, he talks to NJ Advance Media about his first NHL season, what he wants to improve and how he'll approach the offseason. On rookie season NJAM: How would you evaluate your rookie season and how much you've grown? Wood: "I think I've come a long way. If I compare my first two games when I made the team out of camp to where I am today, I think I've made huge strides. For me as a player, I was in high school two years ago. I'm still trying to learn each day and I still have a lot to learn to play here, and overall, I think it's been a fun year. It's been a fast year, but overall I'm happy with how it's gone." Where Wood can improve NJAM: With a month left, what are you still trying to focus on improving this season? Wood: "For me, I'm competing for a spot for next year. In this league, your spot's not safe. People are 25, 26 years old here, and we're all competing for a spot for next year. That's my main goal, to not slip back but step forward." Star Ledger LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052711 New Jersey Devils

Devils practice today, await snow tomorrow

Andrew Gross , 2:49 p.m. ET March 13, 2017

As sunny, albeit chilly, as it is today, seems like this is the literal calm before the storm, given what is expected to drop on the area on Tuesday. Of course, the Devils are scheduled to host the Winnipeg Jets at Prudential Center on Tuesday night at 7. For the Jets, who will play at Nashville on Monday night and also play the Islanders on Thursday at Barclays Center, it’s their last trip to this area this season. Devils coach John Hynes said he did not expect to have a morning skate at The Rock because of the storm but was hopeful the game would be played. “We said they should prepare today like they’re not going to come to the rink [in the morning],” Hynes said. “I think we’ll wait and see. I’m sure the league will be in contact with Winnipeg. If they get out [of Nashville] in time…but you never know how serious it will be. Hopefully, it’s not that serious.” So the players brought home whatever warmup materials they might need, be it exercise aides for stretching or rolling. That type of thing. The game cannot be pushed to Wednesday because the Devils host the Flyers on Thursday night and play at Pittsburgh on Friday and teams will not play three days in a row in the NHL. If they game has to be rescheduled, March 28 is likely the only date that matches up on the two team’s calendar. Surely, one of the most famous events in Devils’ history – besides the three Stanley Cups and “Mat-teau, Mat-teau, Mat-teau,” – came on Jan. 22, 1987 when a blizzard limited the crowd at the Meadowlands to 334 for a 7-5 win over the Flames. The game was delayed until 9 p.m. because some Devils’ players had trouble getting to the arena and the Devils later formed a 334 Club to honor those fans who made it in. It could be that type of night on Tuesday. Hynes said that often affects the home team more than the visitors, when there are few fans in the stands. The Devils did practice on Monday. Proud papa Travis Zajac, whose wife, Nikki, gave birth to the couple’s third child and second daughter on Saturday – meaning he missed the 5-4 loss at Arizona – was on the ice and will play on Tuesday, again provided there is a game. That means either Blake Pietila or Kevin Rooney will come out of the lineup. Devante Smith-Pelly (lower body), Jacob Josefson (upper body) and Michael Cammalleri (shoulder) will all remain out. Of those three, only Cammalleri, who will miss his sixth straight game, skated on his own today. Smith-Pelly will be out for the second straight game and Josefson’s absence will stretch to seven games. The Devils did have an energetic practice heavy on battle drills in tight quarters and then breakouts. No specific lines were shown so expect similar to what was in Saturday’s game, with Zajac going back between Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri. Also, please check back here to Fire and Ice or my Twitter account for updates on the status of Tuesday’s game. Bergen Record LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052712 New York Islanders The most controversy Ho-Sang has generated so far in the N.H.L. has been choosing to wear No. 66, which has been worn by only one other N.H.L. player since Lemieux retired in 2006. Ho-Sang’s decision was Islanders Rookie Josh Ho-Sang Is Playing With a Veteran’s Poise debated on social media, sports radio and Canadian television. This season, his first in the A.H.L., Ho-Sang had 10 goals and 26 assists in 48 games. Ho-Sang made it a point to praise Bridgeport Coach Brent By ALLAN KREDAMARCH 13, 2017 Thompson and his staff. “The A.H.L. is a great league,” Ho-Sang said. “I think people should acknowledge that. It definitely got me prepared for this.” When the Islanders rookie right wing Josh Ho-Sang is looking for inspiration, he does not immerse himself in hockey. Instead, he turns his His work ethic has caught the attention of the Islanders captain, John attention to the soccer field. Tavares, who knows well the pressure of expectations. “I mostly watched soccer highlights,” he said. “I couldn’t sit through a “Josh has played extremely well,” Tavares said. “He understands how he hockey game until I was 16. My dad would get on me and say, ‘You know needs to play, and he’s getting more confident. The hardest thing to do it’s pretty useful if you watch the game you play.’” for a guy expected to score is come in and score.” Ho-Sang wears No. 66, the number of his hockey idol, Mario Lemieux, Ho-Sang always found his solace on the ice. but credits his style to his childhood soccer hero, Cristiano Ronaldo. “I’ve played hockey the same way my whole life,” he said. “I’ve gotten in “I think my style developed because I was really into Ronaldo when he trouble for it, and I’ve gotten complimented for it. It’s important to just play first came in — I was like 9,” Ho-Sang said. “I always liked the way he your game.” played, especially if you look at his Manchester United highlights.” New York Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 Ho-Sang, 21, views the game through a prism different from most, and he prefers it that way. Ho-Sang made his home debut Monday night in a messy 8-4 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes after having joined the Islanders for six games during their nine-game trip. He scored his second N.H.L. goal — his first came at Edmonton on March 7 — late in the second with an assist from Anthony Beauvillier, and he assisted on Calvin de Haan’s goal earlier in the period. And early in the game, when had control of the puck several times, he heard a variation of the “olé, olé, olé” chant often heard at soccer games, using his name instead. With sterling play at both ends of the ice, Ho-Sang is quickly making the case for his roster spot to become permanent. Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. See Sample Manage Email Preferences Privacy Policy “A lot of guys come up and try to play a different game,” he said Monday. “The key is just go out there and play hockey.” Recalled from Bridgeport of the American Hockey League because of injuries to forwards Casey Cizikas and Alan Quine, Ho-Sang has brought an extra burst of energy to the surging Islanders, who are 15-8-3 since Doug Weight took over as head coach after Jack Capuano was fired on Jan. 17. With 14 games remaining, the Islanders (32-25-11) are already counting on Ho-Sang’s contribution as they make a push for a third straight playoff spot. The Islanders are in the race for the final Eastern Conference slot, battling the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Tampa Bay Lightning. “This is what I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little kid, being in the N.H.L.,” said Ho-Sang, who is primarily playing on a line centered by Brock Nelson, with Nikolay Kulemin or Andrew Ladd on the left wing. “As long as I’m bringing that compete level, I’m the happiest guy in the world.” Weight has been impressed by Ho-Sang’s poise, talent and attention to details. “He fits in physically, and with his skating ability and skill set, it looks like he’s been in this league a long time,” Weight said. “I’m not surprised. He has been well coached.” Ho-Sang, who grew up in suburban Toronto, also brings an unusual family lineage to Brooklyn. His father, Wayne, is from Jamaica, and his great-grandfather was from Hong Kong. Ho-Sang’s mother, Ericka, was born in Chile, and her parents were Russian and Swedish. Ho-Sang was raised Jewish. The Islanders took a chance on Ho-Sang, a brash scorer in the Ontario Hockey League, with a first-round pick in 2014. Many teams avoided choosing Ho-Sang because of reports of discipline issues and concern he may have been more focused on making flashy plays than on winning. But Ho-Sang has been proving his critics wrong since he overslept on the opening day of training camp in 2015, leading the Islanders to send him back to his junior team. 1052713 New York Islanders

Hurricanes break out for eight goals as Islanders drop first game back home, 8-4

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Updated: Tuesday, March 14, 2017, 1:25 AM

Jaccob Slavin and the Carolina Hurricanes ruined the New York Islanders’ awaited homecoming with an offensive barrage Monday night. Slavin recorded his first NHL hat trick, Jeff Skinner and Justin Faulk each scored twice and Carolina beat New York 8-4 to snap the Islanders’ 11- game home point streak. Slavin’s third goal came late in the third period on a shot that sneaked through the legs of Thomas Greiss. “It feels pretty good. It’s obviously nice to score some goals,” Slavin said. “They don’t come by a lot for myself. ... It’s definitely nice to get those three in.” Joakim Nordstrom also scored for the Hurricanes, and Cam Ward made 23 stops. Ryan Strome, Stephen Gionta, Calvin de Haan and Joshua Ho-Sang scored for the Islanders. Jean-Francois Berube made nine saves on 13 shots before being pulled in the second period, and Greiss made 16 saves in relief. The Hurricanes celebrate a goal from Jeff Skinner as they dominate the Islanders. New York capped a nine-game trip on Saturday at St. Louis and returned to Barclays Center with its longest home point streak since 1982. There was no home-ice advantage in this one, though, as Carolina broke things open with four straight goals during the second period. The Islanders led 3-2 before Carolina’s burst, which began when Faulk tied it 6:51 into the period. Skinner and Faulk then scored 56 seconds apart, with Skinner going five- hole to beat Berube at 8:02 and Faulk beating Greiss on the goalie’s first shot at 8:58. Slavin added his second goal at 11:45 after forcing Brock Nelson to turn over the puck in the offensive zone. Isles goalie Thomas Greiss has a busy day in net. “You want to have good responses when the other team gets the lead,” Skinner said. “You’re sort of fighting to get back in it. Some nice plays individually, obviously (Slavin’s) short-handed goal was a pretty nice individual effort. It’s nice on the road to be able to have a response like that.” Ho-Sang pulled the Islanders back within two goals at 13:50 of the period, but Skinner tallied his second goal of the night at 3:43 of the third on a penalty shot to put Carolina back up by three goals. In the first period, Strome put New York ahead before Slavin and Nordstrom scored 26 seconds apart for a 2-1 Hurricanes lead. Gionta tied it late in the first and de Haan put New York ahead early in the second. “The first seven minutes, I thought we would win 8-0,” Islanders interim coach Doug Weight said. “We got the puck in and we were moving our feet in the offensive zone. We looked like we hadn’t missed a beat, and that was it. The last 53 was completely an about-face. ... We were just bad all over the ice, goaltenders included. There’s no hiding this one that’s for sure.” The Islanders and Hurricanes will play the second leg of a home-and- home on Tuesday night in Raleigh, North Carolina. The two sides quickly departed Brooklyn with an impending snowstorm expected to hit the region. New York Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052714 New York Islanders

Islanders don’t see any trace of brat in phenom Josh Ho-Sang

By Brett Cyrgalis March 13, 2017 | 5:24PM

The plane landed in New York around 3:30 a.m. Sunday as the Islanders finally completed their franchise-record nine-game road trip. Interim head coach Doug Weight gave the team the day off, but one of the few guys who wanted to come in was 21-year-old rookie forward Josh Ho-Sang. Weight told his headline-grabbing talent with a history of waking up late and rubbing people the wrong way with his brimming confidence and sharp tongue he would be at the practice facility at 12:30 p.m. When Weight arrived, Ho-Sang was waiting at the door. Josh Ho-Sang already has shown a knack for controversy, and... “I think he’s always been a good kid in my mind,” Weight said of the team’s first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2014 draft, who is set to play in his seventh career NHL game when the Islanders finally return to Brooklyn for a matchup against the Hurricanes on Monday night. “I think you make your own bed in this world, and he’s done some things in the past that people have a stigma on him and they leave it,” Weight said. “They say, ‘This kid’s a problem.’ There are different types of kids with different types of issues. Josh just had to grow up a little bit in certain areas. Drive for the game is there. He’s a wonderful kid, he’s bright, and he’s a good kid. Didn’t surprise me.” But maybe what did surprise Weight was the fact Ho-Sang had not looked out of place on the NHL ice at all, showing the competitiveness to match his undeniable talent and skills. “I think a lot of times when you see these guys come up — whatever their skill set may be — you can always see a little, ‘OK, this is the NHL.’ A little deer in headlights,” said Weight, himself a veteran of 1,238 NHL games. “It’s such a fast game that you would expect that even if they play well when they come up, that you would see a little, ‘Ohhh.’ And I haven’t seen that. He fits in physically — his skating ability, his skill. It looks like he’s been in this league for a long time.” Ho-Sang is taking it all in with very wide eyes. He spoke about how at different times during this trip — during which the Islanders went 5-3-1, ridding themselves of previous road woes and keeping themselves in contention for the second wild-card spot — he was agape at some of his opponents. From the bench and from the ice, he stared at the likes of Tyler Seguin in Dallas and Patrick Kane in Chicago and tried to take it all in. “They play the opposite wing of me, which is almost harder than lining up next to them because you look across the ice and you see their faces and you’re just like, ‘Oh my God,’ ” Ho-Sang said. “And that’s pretty surreal, but you got to get over it pretty fast or else they score on you.” New York Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052715 New York Islanders in the next month. We got to win, and we’re not going to win if we’re not better.”

New York Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 Islanders totally collapse in embarrassing loss to Hurricanes

By Brett Cyrgalis March 13, 2017 | 10:28PM

The often-ridiculous, condensed NHL schedule this season has created contests for every team that are almost entirely impossible to win. But nothing quite like this. The Islanders’ first game back at Barclays Center in 22 days was an extremely ugly affair, as the return from the franchise-record nine-game road trip saw the Hurricanes score a touchdown and add a two-point conversion, beating the Isles, 8-4, on Monday night. Even worse? How about making this a back-to-back, with the home-and- home concluding Tuesday night down in Carolina? “Everyone has a tough schedule,” defenseman Travis Hamonic said, setting the tone for all of the Islanders not using this awful set up as an excuse for their brutal performance. But interim head coach Doug Weight did at least admit the obvious, that mental fatigue is inevitable after a trip like that — even if it did include a few days at home between games at one point. “There has to be,” said Weight, himself a veteran of 1,238 NHL games. “There’s proof in the facts of 50 years.” Yet the Islanders (32-25-11) have very little wiggle room here, fighting for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and fully aware of how much each lost point could hurt come the end of the regular season in 14 more games. And those final games won’t matter much if they keep getting goaltending like they did, especially against a Hurricanes (28-27- 11) team that was led by the first career hat trick from defenseman Jaccob Slavin. The Islanders started with Jean-Francois Berube in nets, but he got pulled after allowing four goals on 13 shots through 28:02 of ice time. He was replaced by regular starter Thomas Greiss, worn down from playing so much over the long trip, giving up goals on the first two shots he faced and four total on 20 shots. “Just bad all over the ice, goaltenders included,” Weight said. “There’s no hiding in this one, that’s for sure. Veterans looked tired, thought some young guys looked pretty good, actually had some legs. Besides that, everybody was awful.” Believe it or not, the Islanders began the game well, going up 1-0 on a goal from Ryan Strome 9:11 in. But then Slavin scored the first of his three, followed 26 seconds later by Joakin Nordstrom to make it 2-1. “The first seven minutes, I thought we were going to win 8-0,” Weight said. “We got the puck in, we were moving our feet in the offensive zone. We looked like we hadn’t missed a beat. And that was it. The last 53 was completely an about-face.” After Brian Gionta tied it 2-2 late in the first, the Islanders actually took another lead when Calvin de Haan scored 2:43 into the second. But then all heck broke loose, with two goals from Faulk sandwiching one from Jeff Skinner, capped by another from Slavin to make it 6-3. Rookie Josh Ho-Sang made his first home start and scored a goal Monday for the Islanders.Andrew Theodorakis Islanders rookie Josh Ho-Sang, playing in his seventh NHL game and first at Barclays Center, scored his second career goal late in the second, but that was the lone bright spot. The third started with a penalty-shot goal for Skinner to make it 7-4, and Slavin finishing his hat trick on a slow roller through Greiss’ legs with under 10 minutes remaining. “We’re playing for our lives and playing for the playoffs, and that’s what it’s all about,” captain John Tavares said. “I think we all know what it’s like at this time of year to have that opportunity. To me, that should be motivating.” So this slog of a schedule will continue, and the Islanders have no other option but to try to win to keep their postseason hopes afloat. “Right now, it doesn’t matter,” Weight said. “We’re playing for our lives. We just made — yet again — tomorrow the biggest game of the year. All intents and purposes, it’s going to dictate a lot of what’s going to happen 1052716 New York Islanders

Islanders getting desperate to solve their goalie problems

By Brett Cyrgalis March 13, 2017 | 11:51PM

The name Jaroslav Halak hasn’t been mentioned a lot around the Islanders lately, but it will be now. The possible call-up of the veteran goalie, exiled in AHL Bridgeport since clearing waivers on New Year’s Eve, was set to be at least a topic of discussion for the team’s front office as they licked their wounds — largely goaltender-inflicted — from the 8-4 loss to the Hurricanes on Monday night at Barclays Center. Jean-Francois Berube got the start, but lasted just 28:02, getting replaced by regular starter Thomas Greiss after allowing four goals on 13 shots. Even since Halak was sent down, Berube hasn’t been able to find much of a groove, allowing 20 goals over the past 188 shots he faced going back to Jan. 14, good for a .893 save percentage. With Halak playing well in Bridgeport, Berube was asked if he expected to see him back up some time soon. “Kind of a stupid question, I don’t know,” Berube said. “I’m here, I hope I did enough to be here. I worked hard to be in this position. At the same time, I’ve been working hard and trying to find my game. “It really stings right now because I know I’m a lot better than this. It’s a really tough situation, but I’m not going to give up. I know people believe in me, just have to find a way.” Interim head coach Doug Weight was asked if he was thinking about bringing Halak back, but he was unsure immediately after the game. “We’ll get on the plane and talk, and I don’t know that anything is going to happen,” Weight said. “I have no idea.” The Islanders’ mercurial 21-year-old rookie winger Josh Ho-Sang played in his seventh career game, his first at Barclays Center, and had a goal and an assist over 15:23 of ice time. Ho-Sang was the team’s first-round pick (28th overall) in the 2014 draft and made his ballyhooed NHL debut on March 2, then scored his first career goal on March 7 in Edmonton. “I’m having lots of fun,” Ho-Sang said Monday morning. “People keep asking me, ‘What’s the best part of the NHL?’ And I say, this is the most fun I’ve had in my life. When you get the puck in open space and you skate up the ice, like that’s crazy, you know? It blows my mind.” Forwards Casey Cizikas and Alan Quine remained out with upper-body injuries, but both took part in Monday’s morning skate. Cizikas has been out since he was hurt Feb. 21 in Detroit, and Quine has been out since he was hurt Feb. 25 in Columbus. “I think both are close,” Weight said. “I would love to have two or three fresh bodies in [Tuesday] night, but the same time, you can’t risk losing them for a longer period of time.” Defenseman Johnny Boychuk missed his fifth straight game with a lower- body injury suffered March 3 in Chicago. The injury is taking longer than anticipated to heal, which Weight called “disappointing.” “I’ve been told that once he starts to get better, it’s going to jump quickly,” Weight said. Adam Pelech returned to the lineup and replaced Scott Mayfield on defense. New York Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052717 New York Islanders

Islanders’ Johnny Boychuk misses fifth straight game

Updated March 13, 2017 9:22 PM By Arthur Staple

The Islanders got back on the ice Monday night, and Johnny Boychuk again was not with them. Boychuk, who took a shot off the right foot in Chicago on March 3, still hasn’t skated since then. That doesn’t bode well for the veteran defenseman’s chances of getting back into the lineup this week. The Islanders have four games in six days, starting with Monday night. “There’s still some pain there,” Doug Weight said of Boychuk, who missed his fifth straight game on Monday. “The good news is that once it goes away, it should be a quick jump back from there. So we’re trying to keep him in shape, riding the bike, because we’re going to need him as soon as he’s ready.” Adam Pelech replaced Scott Mayfield on defense with Nick Leddy, Boychuk’s regular spot. Mayfield got back in on Saturday in St. Louis, his hometown, but Pelech was pretty sharp in the previous two games, especially against the Oilers’ speed a week ago in Edmonton. Quine, Cizikas closer but not ready Among the Isles’ injured forwards, Alan Quine and Casey Cizikas — both of whom have upper-body injuries — were on the ice before and during the team’s morning skate on Monday, but neither was quite ready to return to action. Quine was hurt in Columbus on Feb. 26 and has missed seven straight games. Cizikas suffered an apparent broken hand in Detroit on Feb. 22 and has missed nine straight. “We’ll see if they come on the trip with us,” Weight said. “They’re close, but you have to make sure they’re ready.” Shane Prince (ankle), injured in Edmonton last week, has not skated since his injury. The Islanders had hotel rooms in Raleigh booked for Tuesday night should the blizzard keep them from flying home after the second half of their home-and-home with the Hurricanes. Wednesday is the team’s scheduled day off for this week, so making it a travel day would not be a huge problem, even with a game against the Jets at Barclays Center on Thursday. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052718 New York Islanders

Goalies Thomas Greiss, J-F Berube have rough night in Isles’ unhappy homecoming

Updated March 13, 2017 11:44 PM By Arthur Staple

It was a perfect storm of awfulness, no pun intended about what sort of weather we’ll all wake up to Tuesday. The Islanders returned home after a nine-game sojourn, and out came the descriptive words after a truly ugly 8-4 loss to the lottery-bound Hurricanes. The loss kept the Isles a point behind the Maple Leafs for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference and allowed the Lightning to pull even at 75 points. “It’s an embarrassment — to myself, my teammates,” said J-F Berube, who made his first start in goal since Feb. 19 and promptly was benched midway through the second after allowing four goals on 13 shots. “These are huge points for us and right now, for some reason . . . I felt ready before the game, but once I stepped on the ice, I couldn’t find my game, my rhythm.” “We were outplayed by a team that looked hungrier and, no offense to them, had no reason to be,” Thomas Hickey said. “I understand the fans’ frustration. You can walk out of the building and ask yourself if the Islanders deserved to win the game. The answer is obviously no.” Wary of the dreaded first home game after a long trip, the Islanders started Monday night’s game pretty well and took a 1-0 lead on Ryan Strome’s deflected shot past Cam Ward. “The first seven minutes, I thought we were gonna win the game 8-0,” Doug Weight said. “We were moving our feet, skating, we looked like we hadn’t missed a beat. The last 53 was an about-face.” Carolina pounced for two goals in 26 seconds to grab the lead. The Islanders pounced back on goals by Stephen Gionta and Calvin de Haan for a 3-2 lead 2:43 into the second. Then the smoke started pouring from the engine. Justin Faulk scored the first of his two from the high slot, beating a very stationary Berube at 6:51. Jeff Skinner scored the first of his two at 8:02, a change-up wrist shot that trickled between Berube’s legs and, after a long pause, prompted Weight to call on Thomas Greiss, who had started all nine games of the road trip that just ended. Faulk greeted Greiss with a stoppable wrist shot that eluded the goaltender to make it 5-3 at 8:58. Then second-year defenseman Jaccob Slavin, who entered the night with four career goals, scored the second of his three goals shorthanded at 11:45. Those were the first two shots Greiss faced. “I feel fine,” he said when asked if fatigue has bothered him. “You jump up, try to do your best — it wasn’t good enough. Just have to be better.” Skinner scored on a pretty penalty-shot move in the third and Slavin finished off his improbable hat trick. Josh Ho-Sang had a goal and assist in his first home game as an Islander, but that was their only bright spot. Weight resisted the chance to pin this one on his goaltenders, particularly Berube, who has been sharp only in small bursts since Jaroslav Halak was sent to Bridgeport on Dec. 31. Halak did not join the Isles for their quick turnaround to Raleigh on Tuesday. “We have a lot of pride in the guys back there,” Hickey said of the goaltenders. “It’d be a disgrace to pin this one on them.” “I don’t know if we were worse with or without the puck in the neutral zone tonight,” Weight said, adding that he didn’t know of any decisions to add Halak. “I’m only thinking about what I just saw, and that was 20 guys who played poorly.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052719 New York Rangers

Lightning Edge the Rangers at the Garden

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSMARCH 13, 2017

Brayden Point scored twice, including a tiebreaking goal with 6 minutes 39 seconds remaining, and the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Rangers, 3-2, on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. Peter Budaj made 26 saves for his first win since the Lightning acquired him from the Los Angeles Kings in a trade for goaltender Ben Bishop. Gabriel Dumont also scored for the Lightning, who extended their winning streak to three games. They have picked up at least a point in eight of their past nine road games. Steven Kampfer and Michael Grabner scored for the Rangers, who won, 4-1, on Sunday night in Detroit. They still hold a comfortable lead for the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Tampa Bay is in a tight race with Toronto and the Islanders for the East’s final playoff spot. Point broke a 2-2 tie when he redirected Ondrej Palat’s shot past goaltender Antti Raanta. Nikita Kucherov also assisted on the goal. Receive occasional updates and special offers for The New York Times's products and services. See Sample Manage Email Preferences Privacy Policy Raanta made 13 saves and fell to 14-7-0. The Rangers started strong, outshooting the Lightning, 13-3, in the opening period, and took a 1-0 lead when Kampfer fired a shot from the left point. After Budaj denied Derek Stepan from in close, the Rangers won the ensuing face-off. Mats Zuccarello slid the puck to Kampfer, who scored his 10th N.H.L. goal and his first as a member of the Rangers. Tampa Bay tied the score when Kucherov fed Point at 7:43 of the first period on a power play. It was the Lightning’s 53rd power-play goal this season, which leads the league. Dumont redirected Jason Garrison’s shot past Raanta to give the Lightning a 2-1 lead at 5:04 of the second. It was Dumont’s third career goal and his second of the season. Shortly before Dumont’s goal, the Rangers rookie Pavel Buchnevich had a chance to give his team the lead. Mika Zibanejad made a great pass to set up Buchnevich, but his shot went wide. The Rangers tied it when Grabner scored his team-leading 27th goal at the 10:22 of the second. He had returned to action on Sunday after being sidelined for five games with a hip injury that he sustained during a practice. New York Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052720 New York Rangers

Brayden Point buries Rangers as Lightning strikes Madison Square Garden for 3-2 win

Justin Tasch Updated: Monday, March 13, 2017, 11:28 PM

SO MUCH talk from the Rangers heading into February was centered on improving their play at the Garden, when at the time they had lost five of their last six at home. They then swept a four-game home stand against Western Conference opposition and added a victory against the Capitals to make it five straight home wins. The Broadway Blueshirts appeared back on track in familiar territory. Only now things have turned south again at MSG, their 3-2 home loss to the Lightning on Monday night after a successful road trip giving them five consecutive Garden defeats, including four straight in regulation. The Rangers (44-24-2) are 19-15-2 at home. This one happened after a dominant first period in which the Rangers outshot Tampa Bay (33-26-9) 13-3, but the period finished tied 1-1 as less than two minutes after Steven Kampfer scored his first goal as a Ranger, Brayden Point leveled it with a power-play goal. Point went on to score the winner with 6:39 left in the third, splitting Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal, both of whom had just hopped over the boards, to tip in a feed into the slot from Ondrej Palat. “It’d be nice,” Staal said of capitalizing more early when they should have. “Especially at home if you can grab that momentum and carry it and try to bury a team, you want to do that. Their goalie (Peter Budaj) made some big saves, they weren’t giving us all that much. Ryan McDonagh scores twice as Rangers top Red Wings, 4-1 Brayden Point (left) had two goals for the Lightning. “Got to figure out a way to do it at home here.” Who knows how differently things would’ve turned out if Chris Kreider could’ve scored on a breakaway just 43 seconds into the game. He went backhand and Budaj came up with the huge left-pad save. McDonagh took responsibility for Point’s winner. “I came on for a late change and didn’t have a lot of speed, but I’ve got to take the most important guy there and that’s the guy driving to the net,” he said. “I didn’t get a good position on him and he was able to have his stick free and get a piece of that shot, so it’s one mistake for me that I wish I had back.” Why Derek Stepan's call came as no surprise to Martin St. Louis Michael Grabner tied it midway through the second with his team-high 27th goal after Gabriel Dumont’s goal. The Rangers fell to 9-3 in the second game of back-to-backs after their game slipped over the final two periods. “With the pace that we had carried in the first period, we should’ve been able to do that and make the same plays in the second and the third, which our guys didn’t do,” Alain Vigneault said. “It obviously wasn’t good enough.” GIRARDI ON MEND: Dan Girardi’s Monday meeting with a specialist to have the wound on his right ankle examined went well, and weather permitting he’s expected to resume skating today, per Vigneault, who expects Jesper Fast (upper body) to take part in the team’s Thursday practice. New York Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052721 New York Rangers

Why Martin St. Louis wasn’t surprised to get a recent call from Rangers’ Derek Stepan

Justin Tasch Monday, March 13, 2017, 5:44 PM

The sense of relief Derek Stepan felt Sunday night was palpable. Finally he can get The Drought out of his mind after scoring on a power play late in the Rangers' 4-1 win over the Red Wings, snapping a career-long 23- game stretch without a goal. Since last scoring on Jan. 17, the longer Stepan went without scoring the more it weighed on him. It became difficult enough to the point where he was initiating conversations with people to try to help himself mentally, and one person from whom he sought advice was former teammate Martin St. Louis, who went through his own dry spell as a Ranger. After the Rangers acquired St. Louis, the six-time All-Star and former Hart Trophy winner, at the 2014 trade deadline for Ryan Callahan and two draft picks, St. Louis went his first 14 games as a Ranger without scoring, finally getting off the schneid with a shorthanded goal in Vancouver. "He said it felt like a year," Stepan said St. Louis told him of his goal-less streak. Ryan McDonagh scores twice as Rangers top Red Wings, 4-1 Stepan reached out to St. Louis — who had his No. 26 retired by the Lightning this season — before the Rangers left for Tampa last Sunday to begin their road trip, and St. Louis knew exactly why Stepan was calling. "It was just a lot talking about the process," Stepan said of the conversation. "Me and Marty, when Marty was here, we talked a lot of hockey. We are hockey nerds, so to say, talking plays, and we played together the whole time he was here. He was good to lean on. He gave me some good advice and he's a guy I'm gonna continue to lean on. He's got a lot of experience and he can relate to me pretty strongly." Previously, Stepan's longest drought was in his rookie season when he went 18 games without scoring after notching a hat trick in his NHL debut on Oct. 9, 2010. Derek Stepan knew exactly who to reach out to during his prolonged goal drought. This latest one was wearing on him. On Thursday against the Hurricanes Stepan had a career-high 10 shots on goal and also hit a post. "It was not an easy thing to go through," he said. "Guys do it, you go through it in your career. You've just got to find a way to keep that mindset of, 'This is just the way it is right now. Keep playing the right way.' I felt there was probably four or five games in that 23 that I didn't really like my game. The rest I felt pretty good about, I just wasn't scoring." Now he can be glad it's over. Stepan said J.T. Miller joked with him after Sunday's win that there were less than 23 games remaining in the regular season. "So I can't match it," Stepan said. Dan Girardi's Monday meeting with a specialist to have his ankle wound examined went well, and he's expected to resume skating Tuesday, Alain Vigneault said. The coach expects Jesper Fast (upper body) to take part in the team's next practice. New York Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052722 New York Rangers New York Post LOADED: 03.14.2017

Rangers can’t break through and have real Garden problem

By Larry Brooks March 13, 2017 | 9:49PM

There may not be a home way to play and a road way to play, as goes coach Alain Vigneault’s mantra, but the Rangers way at the Garden just doesn’t seem to produce winning hockey all that often. After having won three of four on their most recent trip to go 18-4 in the last 22 and 25-9 for the season off Broadway, the Blueshirts lost their fourth straight in regulation and fifth straight overall at MSG, this one 3-2 to the Lightning on Monday for the club’s 17th defeat (19-15-2) in 36 games on home ice. This was one the Rangers let get away. After an impressive first period in which they used their speed and creativity to generate a half-dozen glorious opportunities but could come away no better than 1-1 after 20 minutes, the Blueshirts failed to maintain that level and instead became bogged down in a quagmire. “Give them some credit, but I think it comes down to the fact that we stopped executing coming out of our own zone,” Derek Stepan said after Brayden Point got his second of the night at 13:21 of the third to give Tampa Bay the victory. “I talked about it before the game. When we’re sharp executing in moving pucks out of our end, we put teams on their heels. “We did that well in the first period, but I didn’t think we were very good after that. It’s the key to our game.” Not many Rangers at all distinguished themselves over the final 40 minutes against a desperate Lightning squad that moved into a points-tie with the Islanders for ninth place in the east, one point behind Toronto for the second wild-card berth, with the Maple Leafs having one more game remaining than their pursuers. While Peter Budaj performed much sleight of hand during the first period in just his second start in nets since coming to Tampa Bay from Los Angeles in the Ben Bishop deal, the Rangers were their own worst enemies in failing to convert numerous opportunities by either shooting wide or stubbing their toes on attempts. The more the unmerrier, with Stepan, Chris Kreider, Pavel Buchnevich, Mika Zibanejad and Rick Nash all culprits, but it was Jimmy Vesey who had the last great chance 2:20 into the third of what was then a 2-2 game. Driving to the right porch, Vesey was unable to direct a good shot on Budaj after Tanner Glass put the puck on his stick with a spectacular spinning feed from the left circle. “I tried to one-time it,” said Vesey, who played 9:25 on the fourth line with Glass and Oscar Lindberg. “We had a good start, but I don’t think anybody is happy with the way we played after that. “We let them hang around, we got sloppy in the second, turned the puck over, and then they capitalized.” Antti Raanta, who had blanked the Lightning for 63:56 in last Monday’s 1- 0 OT victory in Tampa Bay, faced only 16 shots, including three in the first period and six in the third. The Finn had little chance on the winner on which Point gained the zone on a two-on-four rush, pitched it left side to Ondrej Palat and then split the Ryan McDonagh-Marc Staal pair to redirect his winger’s pass into the net. “They didn’t shoot at all,” Raanta said. “It was a weird game, a tough game for a goalie to play, but I thought we did enough good things in the first period that if we continued, we could win this game.” But they didn’t. They generated little and rarely had puck possession over the final 40 minutes. They didn’t win nearly enough one-on-ones. They were blah. And their penalty kill, ranked a pedestrian 14th in the league at 80.6 percent, yielded one power play goal and has allowed five facing 15 advantages over the last five games. “As a group, we certainly have to be better,” said Stepan, who unwittingly conspired with Kevin Hayes to allow Point to find a seam in coverage for his first-period goal that negated Steven Kampfer’s early game-opening tally. “The PK is just so important at this time of the year heading into the playoffs.” But then, so is winning at home. 1052723 New York Rangers

Rangers could get this key piece back from injury by weekend

By Larry Brooks March 13, 2017 | 11:13PM

Alain Vigneault’s team seems to be nearing full health with both Jesper Fast and Dan Girardi closing in on returns to the lineup. The coach said Fast, sidelined for seven straight games since suffering a shoulder separation on a blow from Alex Ovechkin with 8:35 remaining in third period of the Blueshirts’ Feb. 28 defeat to the Capitals at the Garden, could be back as soon as this weekend. “Jesper skated again today and is feeling much better,” Vigneault, whose team is home Friday against the Panthers and in Minnesota on Saturday, said before the Blueshirts lost to the Lightning at the Garden on Monday. “The next step is to see how he comes through a full practice with the team on Wednesday. My understanding is that he’s real close.” There is no timetable for Girardi, who has missed eight games tending to the ankle injury he originally sustained blocking a shot Feb. 7, but the alternate captain received the go-ahead to begin skating on his own after visiting a specialist Monday. “The vacuum came off,” said Vigneault, referring to the device used to close the open wound. “I just saw him walking in [to the Garden]. If weather permits, he should skate [Tuesday].” Kevin Klein , dealing with a lower-back issue, missed his 11th straight Monday. Klein, who has not played since Feb. 21, would likely hold the fifth slot on the right side upon his return behind Ryan McDonagh (who has played so well paired with Marc Staal since moving to his off-side five games ago that it would seem silly to shift him back), Nick Holden, Girardi and Steven Kampfer. Kampfer, who scored a goal against the Lightning, has been impressive on the third pair with Brady Skjei since his Mar. 5 promotion from the AHL Wolf Pack. “He skates well and makes good reads,” Vigneault said of the 5-foot-11, 28-year-old who was obtained from Florida for Dylan McIlrath in early November. “He’s not big, but he’s pretty physical and has played well in his one-on-ones. “He’s been safe and dependable. He’s played well so far.” New York Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052724 New York Rangers

Jesper Fast might return to action this weekend from shoulder injury

Updated March 13, 2017 8:53 PM By Steve Zipay

Jesper Fast, recovering from a shoulder injury, could play this weekend, and barring injuries, that will mean scratching a third forward. On Monday, the 25-year-old right wing missed his seventh game since he was flattened by Capitals star Alex Ovechkin on Feb. 28, but he has started skating with extras in a non-contact jersey. The time frame for his return was two to three weeks, so Fast is on target. “He skated again today,” coach Alain Vigneault said, “and is feeling much better. I’m expecting him to be back with the team [in a regular jersey] at the next full practice. My understanding is that he’s real close.” Whenever he returns, it might send a fourth-liner, perhaps Tanner Glass, to the sideline. Brandon Pirri and Matt Puempel were healthy scratches against the Lightning last night. Girardi to resume skating Dan Girardi, who has been wearing a small vacuum to assist in healing an ankle wound that required stitches and has cost him eight games, should resume skating as soon as Tuesday. “The vacuum came off today, and if weather permits, he should skate,” Vigneault said. That does not mean that he will jump back into the lineup this weekend, however. In the meantime, call-up defenseman Steven Kampfer, who scored the Rangers’ first goal last night, seems to have done enough in his limited ice time on the third pair to continue. “He skates well, makes good reads when we don’t have the puck,” Vigneault said. “Pretty physical, been good in his one-on-ones and been safe and dependable.” Skipping practice The Rangers won’t practice Tuesday, and possibly not Wednesday, before a weekend back-to-back. The Panthers are at MSG on Friday and the Blueshirts visit Minnesota on Saturday. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052725 New York Rangers

Steven Kampfer has first goal as a Ranger in loss to Lightning at MSG

Updated March 13, 2017 11:10 PM By Steve Zipay

Every morning when Alain Vig neault gets up, he looks at the NHL standings, specifically the Metropolitan Division, where the Rangers reside. “I’m assuming if you’re a player, you do the same thing,” he said before Monday night’s 3-2 loss to the Lightning at Madison Square Garden, where the Rangers are 1-3-1 in their last five. When he wakes up today, Vig neault will see the Blueshirts still have 90 points, but with 12 games remaining, they retain a solid grip on the first wild card in the Eastern Conference. Tampa Bay center Brayden Point scored the winner — and his second goal of the night — at 13:21 of the third period. The rookie reached between Ryan McDonagh and Marc Staal and redirected Ondrej Palat’s shot through Antti Raanta, starting his second straight game. “One play made the difference,’’ McDonagh said. “I came on for a late change, didn’t have a lot of speed, but I’ve got to take the most important guy there, and that’s the guy driving to the net. I didn’t get good position on him and he was able to have his stick free. A mistake for me that I wish I had back.” Although the Rangers lead the league with 89 goals in third periods, they failed to come up with one against backup Peter Budaj. They managed only seven shots in the final 20 minutes and fell to 9-3 in the second game of back-to-backs. “We barely had any looks, any possession time,’’ Vigneault said. “No doubt our second and third were not good enough tonight to get a win.” The Rangers had opportunities in the first 40 minutes, with 20 shots on Budaj and 10 that missed the net. With the score 1-1 early in the second, Pavel Buchnevich missed a wide- open cage from 25 feet after Mika Zibanejad slid him a perfect setup. Just over a minute later, the Lightning took a 2-1 lead. Gabriel Dumont got a piece of Jason Garrison’s soft shot from the right point and the puck bounced past Raanta’s stick at 5:04. Michael Grabner poked the puck away from Garrison in the defensive zone and slipped a shot under Budaj at 10:22 for his 27th goal and a 2-2 tie. Steven Kampfer’s one-timer that zipped past Budaj’s glove — the defenseman’s first goal as a Ranger — had given the Blueshirts a 1-0 lead at 5:53 of the first. Chris Kreider’s assist gave him a four-game point streak. The Rangers had 13 shots on Budaj and allowed only three on Raanta in the first period, but the Lightning tied the score at 7:43 with the Rangers’ Brendan Smith in the box for tripping. Kucherov found Point alone in the slot, and he beat Raanta just inside the far post. Raanta stopped all 38 shots he faced in last week’s shutout against the Lightning. “Tough, tough way to lose,’’ he said. “Not too many shots for me [16] and they got three goals, and you know that all three, you could do something a little bit different. I feel like we had the keys to win this game but we just couldn’t use them.” Derek Stepan said that when the Rangers “look at the tape, I think it will come down to maybe we didn’t generate enough offense.” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said it was “an exceptional effort on a night when I thought both teams were off. Our goalie happened to make one more save than theirs and then ‘The Little Engine That Could,’ Brayden Point, he came through big for us.” Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052726 Ottawa Senators Boucher was full of praise for Pageau following last Thursday’s win in Arizona, saying, “You look at a guy this size (5-9, 175 pounds) and you can’t believe he’s doing this at the NHL level,” and the conversation then Defensive standout Tom Pyatt rewarded with Senators starting turned toward the likes of Pyatt. assignments “That’s what we’ve got right now,” the coach said. “We’ve got all kinds of guys on our team that are becoming experts at different aspects of the game and that’s why they all inspire each other in what they do.” Ken Warren, Ottawa Citizen It starts with the start of the game.

TOP 5 REASONS FOR 6-GAME WIN STREAK When the puck drops against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night, Ottawa Senators right-winger Tom Pyatt should be in a familiar 1-GOALTENDING: This is what Craig Anderson’s March Madness looks spot. like: 5-0 record, 1.80 goals against average, .931 save percentage. His .930 save percentage for the season is tied for third in the NHL with He should be on the ice, starting the game alongside sparkplug centre Sergei Bobrovsky of Columbus, just behind front-runners Scott Darling of Jean-Gabriel Pageau. Chicago and Devan Dubnyk of Minnesota at .931. Anderson was sharp early in Wednesday’s win over Dallas, but he hasn’t been overtaxed on That’s the trust one earns from coach Guy Boucher for stopping the most nights. Mike Condon’s 39-save performance in Arizona on opposition’s top lines game after game and allowing the Senators to keep Thursday was also instrumental in keeping the winning streak alive. winning night after night. 2-LEADERSHIP: Captain Erik Karlsson, named the NHL’s third star of They return to Canadian Tire Centre on a season-high six-game winning the week on Monday after producing two goals and four assists in three streak after sweeping the Dallas Stars, Arizona Coyotes and Colorado games, has taken charge at both ends. He’s managing his minutes better Avalanche on last week’s road trip. and picking his spots to take charge offensively. When the fatigued Senators needed a spark in Arizona, Karlsson scored late in the third and “I think it has to do with the winning streak,” Pyatt said of getting the early in overtime. Defensively, he’s raising eyebrows for keeping bodies starting nod over and over again. “Sometimes, you can be a little and pucks from getting to the net. He has blocked 19 shots during the superstitious about that, too. If you win, don’t change. Send the same winning streak, increasing to his league-leading total to 181. guys out there to start the game. And we enjoy it.” 3-CHECK MATE: It’s hardly the most glamorous job in the hockey world The left winger for Pyatt and Pageau has alternated, depending on the — just take a look at the cuts and scars on Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s face club’s injury list and situations within games, but for now, Mike Hoffman — but the line of Pageau, Tom Pyatt and Mike Hoffman is frustrating top appears to have found a home in that spot. lines with outstanding defensive pressure. The added bonus is that Pyatt has been anything but flashy. He has 19 points, tying the career Pageau has re-discovered his offensive touch, producing three goals and high he set while playing for Boucher in Tampa in 2011-12, but he’s not three assists during a five-game point scoring streak. With Bobby Ryan, about gaudy offensive numbers. Mark Stone and Kyle Turris sidelined with injuries, the importance of limiting opponents has been paramount. He hasn’t scored a goal since Jan. 12; it’s a 27-game drought. When Pytatt picked up an assist on Fredrik Claesson’s goal in Saturday’s 4-2 4-THE ADDITIONS: Alex Burrows and Viktor Stalberg have been around win over Colorado, it ended a 10-game pointless stretch. for almost two weeks now, but they don’t know what losing feels like. The Senators are 6-0 since they stepped into the lineup. Burrows has had a But, if you’re searching for a symbol for what Boucher is preaching in his magic offensive touch, with four goals and two assists. Stalberg has two defensive-minded approach, look no further than Pyatt and Pageau. goals and an assist, but it’s his presence on fourth line that has allowed coach Guy Boucher to keep all his forwards fresh. Stalberg has topped During the Senators’ six-game winning streak, the opposition’s highest- the 16-minute mark twice and the 15-mark three times. scoring players — Matt Duchene of Colorado, Cam Atkinson of Columbus, Brad Marchand of Boston, Tyler Seguin of Dallas and Radim 5-PREPARATION: The Senators have proven to be an outstanding front- Vrbata of Arizona — have combined for two goals and two assists. Take running team, with a 17-4-1 record when they lead after the first period. away the power play and those stars have scored one goal and one During the current six-pack of victories, they’ve allowed a goal in the first assist in even-strength situations. period only twice: against Colorado on Saturday and versus Columbus on March 4. That’s worth a tip of the hat to Boucher and to the club’s On the plus/minus ledger, Pyatt is plus-five during the winning run, plus leaders for being ready to go when the puck drops. Last season, the 11 for the season. Senators found themselves behind early way too often, yielding 71 first- It’s no coincidence that the Senators have allowed only 10 goals during period goals, fourth most in the 30-team NHL. the winning streak, never more than two in any game. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.14.2017 “(Pageau) and I have been together most of the year and we take pride in that, in being able to shut down lines,” Pyatt said. While Pageau has displayed an offensive touch of late — he’s on a five- game point scoring streak with three goals and three assists — Pyatt isn’t overly concerned about with being stuck on six goals for the season. “I would like to help out more with the goals, but I think that will come,” Pyatt said. “We just have to play strong defensively and that’s our big job right now. Things are going pretty well.” Considering the Senators’ injury woes at forward — Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan will remain out Tuesday – a structured defensive game has been vital to the team’s success. Including the absence of Clarke MacArthur because of post-concussion problems and the fact Curtis Lazar never re-discovered his game following a bout of mononucleosis and was eventually traded to Calgary, the Senators have experienced their fair share of body blows to their forwards. Pyatt, signed as a free agent out of Switzerland in the summer, has been the organization’s most pleasant surprise. He’s playing on a two-way contract, not guaranteed a salary when the season began. Yet, from the outset of the regular season, Pageau and Pyatt have been largely inseparable. Boucher has marvelled at how the Pageau-Pyatt line has delivered every game. 1052727 Ottawa Senators

Senators winger Mark Stone will remain on sidelines

Ken Warren, Ottawa Citizen

Right-winger Mark Stone will be missing from the Ottawa Senators’ lineup on a “week to week” basis, general manager Pierre Dorion said Monday. Stone, who left last Thursday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes with a leg injury, is definitely out for Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Thursday’s contest versus the Chicago Blackhawks and for a home-and-away series against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday and Sunday. The good news for the Senators is that centre Kyle Turris is expected to return from his bruised finger for the game against Tampa, Dorion said. Turris travelled with the team on last week’s three-game road trip against Dallas, Arizona and Colorado, but didn’t play. Winger Bobby Ryan, who has missed the past 11 games with a broken finger, could return as soon as Saturday. There was no update on defenceman Mark Borowiecki, who is also out of the lineup because of an upper-body injury. WHITE PLAYS ON: The season continues for centre Colin White, a 2015 first-round draft pick of the Senators. White’s Boston College Eagles advanced to the Hockey East semifinals against archrival Boston University by steamrolling past the University of Vermont last weekend. If and when Boston College is eliminated from the NCAA playoffs, the Senators face a decision on whether to allow White to remain in school — he has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining — or to sign him to a pro contract and then figure out where he would finish this season. Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052728 Ottawa Senators

Senators' Stone out 'week to week' with leg injury

By Ken Warren

Right-winger Mark Stone will be missing from the Ottawa Senators’ lineup on a “week to week” basis, general manager Pierre Dorion said Monday. Stone, who left last Thursday’s game against the Arizona Coyotes with a leg injury, is definitely out for Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Thursday’s contest versus the Chicago Blackhawks and for a home-and-away series against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday and Sunday. The good news for the Senators is that centre Kyle Turris is expected to return from his bruised finger for the game against Tampa, Dorion said. Turris travelled with the team on last week’s three-game road trip against Dallas, Arizona and Colorado, but didn’t play. Winger Bobby Ryan, who has missed the past 11 games with a broken finger, could return as soon as Saturday. There was no update on defenceman Mark Borowiecki, who is also out of the lineup because of an upper-body injury. WHITE PLAYS ON: The season continues for centre Colin White, a 2015 first-round draft pick of the Senators. White’s Boston College Eagles advanced to the Hockey East semifinals against archrival Boston University by steamrolling past the University of Vermont last weekend. If and when Boston College is eliminated from the NCAA playoffs, the Senators face a decision on whether to allow White to remain in school — he has two years of NCAA eligibility remaining — or to sign him to a pro contract and then figure out where he would finish this season. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052729 Ottawa Senators you can’t believe he’s doing this at the NHL level,” and the conversation then turned towards the likes of Pyatt.

“That’s what we’ve got right now,” the coach said. “We’ve got all kinds of Anything but flashy, Pyatt brings shutdown prowess to Senators' lineup guys on our team that are becoming experts at different aspects of the game and that’s why they all inspire each other in what they do.” By Ken Warren It starts with the start of the game. TOP 5 REASONS FOR 6-GAME STREAK When the puck drops against Tampa Bay Tuesday, Ottawa Senators 1. GOALTENDING right winger Tom Pyatt should be in a familiar spot. This is what Craig Anderson’s March Madness looks like: 5-0 record, He should be on the ice, starting the game, alongside spark plug centre 1.80 goals-against average, .931 save percentage. His .930 save Jean-Gabriel Pageau. percentage for the season is tied for third in the NHL with Sergei Bobrovsky, just behind Scott Darling of Chicago and Devan Dubnyk of That’s the trust you earn from coach Guy Boucher when you stop the Minnesota at .931. Anderson was sharp early in Wednesday’s win over opposition’s top lines game after game and keep winning night after Dallas, allowing the club’s defensive structure to get established, but he night. hasn’t been overtaxed on most nights. Mike Condon’s 39-save performance in Arizona Thursday was also instrumental in keeping the The Senators return to Canadian Tire Centre on a season-high six-game winning streak alive. winning streak after sweeping Dallas, Arizona and Colorado on last week’s road trip. 2. LEADERSHIP “I think it has to do with the winning streak,” Pyatt said of getting the Captain Erik Karlsson, named the NHL’s third star of the week on starting nod over and over again. “Sometimes, you can be a little Monday with two goals and four assists in three games, has taken superstitious about that, too. If you win, don’t change. Send the same charge at both ends. He’s managing his minutes better and picking his guys out there to start the game. And we enjoy it.” spots to take charge offensively. When the fatigued Senators needed a spark in Arizona, he scored late in the third and early in overtime. The left winger for Pyatt and Pageau has alternated from time to time, Defensively, he’s raising eyebrows for keeping bodies and pucks from depending on the club’s injury list and situations within games. But, for getting to the net. He has blocked 19 shots during the winning streak, now, Mike Hoffman appears to have found a home in that spot. adding to his league-leading total of 181 blocks. Pyatt has been anything but flashy. He has 19 points, tying the career 3. CHECKMATES high he set while playing for Boucher in 2011-12 as a member of the Lightning, but he’s not about gaudy offensive numbers. It’s hardly the most glamorous job in the hockey world — just take a look at the cuts and scars on Jean-Gabriel Pageau’s face — but the line of He hasn’t scored a goal in two months, dating back to Jan. 12, a 27- Pageau, Tom Pyatt and Mike Hoffman is frustrating top lines with game drought. When he picked up an assist on Fredrik Claesson’s goal outstanding defensive pressure every game. The added bonus is that in Saturday’s 4-2 win over Colorado, it ended a 10-game pointless Pageau has rediscovered his offence. He has scored three goals and stretch. three assists during his five-game point scoring streak. With Bobby Ryan, Mark Stone and Kyle Turris sidelined with injuries during the winning run, But if you’re searching for a symbol for what Boucher is preaching in his the importance of limiting opponents has been paramount. defensive-minded approach, look no further than Pyatt and Pageau. 4. THE NEWCOMERS During the club’s six-game winning streak, the opposition’s highest scoring players — Matt Duchene of Colorado, Cam Atkinson of Alex Burrows and Viktor Stalberg have been around for almost two Columbus, Brad Marchand of Boston, Tyler Seguin of Dallas and Radim weeks now, but they don’t know what losing feels like. Both are 6-0 since Vrbata of Arizona — have combined for a grand total of two goals and stepping into the lineup. Burrows has had the magic offensive touch, with two assists. Take away the power play and those stars have scored one four goals and two assists. Stalberg has two goals and an assist, but it’s goal and one assist in even-strength situations. his presence on fourth line that has allowed coach Guy Boucher to keep all his forwards fresh. Stalberg has topped the 16-minute mark twice and On the plus/minus ledger, Pyatt is a plus-5 during the winning run and the 15-mark three times in six games. plus-11 for the season. 5. PREPARATION It’s no coincidence the Senators have allowed only 10 goals during the winning streak, never more than two in any one game. The Senators have proven to be an outstanding front-running team, with a 17-4-1 record when they lead after the first period. During the current “(Pageau) and I have been together most of the year and we take pride six-pack of victories, they’ve allowed a goal in the first period only twice in that, in being able to shutdown lines,” Pyatt said. — against Colorado Saturday and versus Columbus on March 4. That’s a While Pageau has found an offensive touch of late — he’s on a five- tip of the hat to Boucher and to the club’s leaders for being ready to go game point scoring streak, with three goals and three assists in that span when the puck drops. Last season, the Senators found themselves — Pyatt isn’t overly concerned about with being stuck on six goals for the behind early way too often, yielding 71 first period goals, fourth most in season. the NHL. “I would like to help out more with the goals, but I think that will come,” he Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.14.2017 said. “We just have to play strong defensively and that’s our big job right now. Things are going pretty well.” Considering the Senators' injury woes at forward — Mark Stone and Bobby Ryan will remain out Tuesday — a structured defensive game has been vital to success. Including the loss of Clarke MacArthur to post-concussion problems in training camp and the fact Curtis Lazar never rediscovered his game following a bout with mono and was traded to Calgary, the Senators have experienced their fair share of body blows to the forward unit. Pyatt, who was signed as a free agent out of Switzerland in the summer, has been the most pleasant surprise for the organization. He’s playing on a two-way contract, not guaranteed an NHL salary when the season began. Yet from the outset, Pageau and Pyatt have been largely inseparable. Boucher has marveled at how the Pageau-Pyatt combo has been able to deliver every game. Boucher was full of praise for Pageau following last Thursday’s win in Arizona, saying “you look at a guy this size (5-foot-9, 175 pounds) and 1052730 Philadelphia Flyers

Thriving in Columbus, Sam Gagner holds no grudge against Flyers by Sam Carchidi , STAFF WRITER

Sam Gagner, who is playing for Columbus and having one his best seasons, conceded it was “tough to get into a flow” when he played with the Flyers last year because he was in and out of the lineup. But he has no hard feelings toward the Flyers. “It didn’t really work out, but I didn’t produce last year,” Gagner, 27, said before the Blue Jackets faced the Flyers on Monday night. “It’s hard to be upset about it or to hold any grudges. Regardless of how last year went, in terms of opportunity early on, you still have to find a way to produce and I didn’t here. I’m happy with the way things worked out.” Gagner, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2007 draft, had eight goals and 16 points in 53 games with the Flyers last year, his only season with the team. The early part of last season included benchings, a concussion that sidelined him for 11 games, and a cap-related, nine-game demotion to the AHL’s Phantoms. Before Monday's game, Gagner had 17 goals and 46 points for the Blue Jackets, and lately has been centering Scott Hartnell and rookie Oliver Bjorkstrand on the team’s hottest line. “It’s been a really good year,” he said. “I kind of carved out a role and we’re a really good team. It’s the first time in my career I’m on a team that’s chasing for first in the league, so it’s been an exciting challenge for me.” Last summer, no NHL team offered Gagner a free-agent contract until August. That’s when Gagner signed a one-year $650,000 deal with Columbus. Columbus coach John Tortorella said he got a hungry player. “Everybody knows about his skill level,” Tortorella said. “The thing I liked about the signing of Sam was it’s always good to have a player who knows he’s almost out of the league and maybe (there’s) not many more chances at it.” Tortorella said it’s always good to get a player with a “show-me attitude at that time of his career. He’s been a big part of our offense.” “I still believed in my ability and what I was able to bring to the table,” Gagner said. “I worked really hard this summer - I always work hard - but it was one of those summers where going into the season, I knew there was a lot on the line. I just felt if I got an opportunity to play some important minutes and play with some offensive players, I could get the job done.” Gagner, who has played center and wing this season, ended a 30-game goal drought March 4. He enters Monday's game on a five-game point streak (three goals, four assists). As for last season, “it’s tough to get into a flow early on when you’re in and out of the lineup,” he said. “This year, I got a lot of responsibility right away in terms of trying to help the power play and playing some important minutes late in games. You thrive on responsibility and I think you just get confidence from that.” Hartnell, another former Flyer, likes having Gagner as his centerman. "Sam's a real heads-up playmaker, and you always have to be ready for the puck, which is great," said Hartnell, who spent Monday having dinner with his best friend, former Flyer Kimmo Timonen, and his wife. "One thing he's worked on, especially lately, is his D-zone play, and getting Torts to trust us a little bit more out there. We've had some great shifts." Breakaways. Flyers winger Roman Lyubimov will replace Nick Cousins, who has one goal in his last 20 games.....Hartnell was traded from the Flyers in 2015 but he still donates money to pay for 10 youngsters from the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Association to attend a Minnesota camp each summer...Jordan Weal (plus-4) and Radko Gudas (plus-1) are the Flyers' only "plus" players. Columbus has 20 "plus" players. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052731 Philadelphia Flyers

Manning sidelined for Flyers; Jackets' Foligno might miss game by Sam Carchidi , STAFF WRITER

Flyers defenseman Brandon Manning won't be able to redeem himself tonight against visiting Columbus. The Flyers announced that Manning would miss the game because of an upper-body injury. Manning might have been injured in a first-period fight Saturday against Boston's Matt Beleskey. With 5.6 seconds left in that game, Drew Stafford's lob to the net deflected off Manning's stick and past stunned goalie Steve Mason, giving Boston a 2-1 win. Columbus might be without high-scoring winger Nick Foligno (24 goals), who left Monday's morning skate early because he was ill. Columbus coach John Tortorella said he would be a game-time decision. Foligno's overtime goal beat the Flyers, 2-1, earlier this season. Mason (19-18-7, 2.74 GAA, .906 save percentage), the Flyers' hard-luck loser Saturday, will face the Blue Jackets' Sergei Bobrovsky (36-13-4, 2.07, .930). In the Flyers' loss in Columbus on Jan. 8, Brayden Schenn sent the game to OT by scoring with 16.5 seconds left in regulation. The Flyers and Blue Jackets have three more meetings this season. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052732 Philadelphia Flyers A minute later, Atkinson scored on a breakaway to make it 2-0. Radko Gudas turned the puck over as he was falling down in the Columbus defensive zone, and his pass was intercepted by Werenski, who sent Fading Flyers lose to Blue Jackets Atkinson away on a two-on-none break. With 5:50 to go in the first, Konecny sliced the deficit to 2-1, scoring from the left circle while the Flyers had an extra attacker because of a delayed by Sam Carchidi, STAFF WRITER penalty. "Honestly, I was looking to pass it," Konecny said after his second goal in the last four games. "I knew there was a guy coming in, so I looked to my Maybe it was the threat of snow that reduced Monday's crowd at the right side and I don't think he was expecting the shot when I let it go." usually sold-out Wells Fargo Center. Or perhaps it was the Flyers' diminishing playoff chances. After the Flyers fell into a 2-0 hole, Konecny said, "we were kind of deflated, but then the older guys spoke up and kind of got us going and Those chances became even slimmer as the Flyers' special teams on the right track." continued to falter in a 5-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Flyers were trying to rebound from the most painful loss of their Brandon Dubinsky's left-circle, power-play goal with 11 minutes, 14 roller-coaster-ride season. seconds left in regulation snapped a 3-3 tie, sending the Flyers to their third straight defeat. On Saturday, Drew Stafford lobbed a shot that deflected off the stick of defenseman Brandon Manning and past Mason with 5.6 seconds left, "I had a read on it, and he beat me," goalie Steve Mason said. "That's a giving Boston a stunning 2-1 win. save I wanted to come up with and obviously didn't." "The reality of it was that we played real well; we have to take that and Cam Atkinson added an empty-net goal with 20.9 seconds remaining. bring the same effort into it," coach Dave Hakstol said before Monday's game. "The effort of our team has been good." Columbus was 1 for 2 on the power play. In the last five games, the Flyers have allowed seven power-play goals in 15 chances. The Flyers will host Pittsburgh (and former teammate Mark Streit) on Wednesday. The Penguins, Columbus and Washington are in a fierce Meanwhile, the Flyers' power play converted just one of eight chances three-way battle for the Metropolitan Division title. Monday. Despite having nearly 10 minutes more power-play time than the Blue Jackets in the first two periods, the Flyers were outshot, 21-19. The Flyers are fighting for their playoff lives. The Flyers, who began the night six points out of a playoff spot, wasted Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2017 rookie Travis Konency's first two-goal game of his young career. Konency, however, was in the penalty box for roughing Oliver Bjorkstrand when Dubinsky scored the winning goal. "It's kind of the only thing on my mind right now," Konecny said of the penalty. "I kind of let the game get to me. I was in the mix a lot tonight, and for whatever reason, I decided to bump the guy on my way to the bench and they thought it was a penalty. It was a stupid penalty by me and honestly I put the game in my hands there. It's unacceptable." "That loss isn't on him. He may feel that way, but it's on the power play," Brayden Schenn said. Schenn added that if the Flyers didn't have such a huge disparity in power plays - 8-1 at the time - he didn't think a penalty would have been called. Columbus, which played without ailing winger/captain Nick Foligno (24 goals), set a franchise record for wins and points in a season. The Blue Jackets are 44-18-6 for 94 points. Schenn snapped the Flyers' 1-for-19 power-play funk by scoring on a one-timer from the left circle to tie the score at 2 with 15:37 left in the second. It was Schenn's 20th goal, and his league-leading 15th on the power play. Schenn scored after taking a no-look pass from Claude Giroux, and getting help from Wayne Simmonds' screen in front of goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. A little less than seven minutes later, after the Flyers squandered their next four power plays, Konecny put his team ahead, 3-2, by beating Bobrovksy to the short side. It was a highlight-film goal by the 20-year-old rookie, who took possession near the left boards, weaved through traffic and fired a right circle shot past Bobrovksy's glove. The lead didn't last. Sean Couturier lost a faceoff to William Karlsson, who sent the puck back to Zach Werenski. The 19-year-old defenseman whipped a shot past Mason, who appeared to be screened. The goal knotted the score at 3 with 5:30 to go in the second. Konecny nearly had a hat trick with 2:44 remaining in the second, but the refs ruled his goal was scored after the net came off its moorings, courtesy of Jake Voracek shoving Werenski into it. Ex-Flyers Sam Gagner and Bobrovsky helped Columbus take a 2-1 lead into the second period. Two Blue Jackets turnovers put Matt Read and Ivan Provorov in alone on Bobrovsky in the game's opening 61/2 minutes. The 28-year-old goalie bailed out his teammates with saves he made look easy. Gagner opened the scoring, blasting a one-timer from the high slot with 12:18 left in the first. 1052733 Philadelphia Flyers 48 NHL seasons, the Sixers have won only two NBA titles in 53 seasons, the Eagles won three NFL titles in 84 seasons including 0-for-51 in chances at a Super Bowl championship, and the Phillies two World Smallwood: Cycle of losing goes on and on in Philadelphia Series in 134 seasons. If you throw in the Union, who have played in seven MLS seasons, the teams currently representing Philadelphia have won only nine by John Smallwood championships for the city in 320 combined seasons. By comparison, the Yankees have won 27 World Series while representing New York in MLB for 104 seasons. IT WAS ONLY a brief respite for the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, but at least the Flyers have delivered some postseason The Canadiens have won 24 Stanley Cup titles for Montreal in 98 experience in two of the last three seasons. seasons of hockey, predating the founding of the NHL in 1917. Considering the Union draw 16,000 to 18,500 fans per game, I fully The Celtics have won 17 NBA titles for Boston in 70 NBA seasons. acknowledge them as part of the major league sports scene, but I understand that many others don't. The Packers have won 13 NFL championships for Green Bay 97 seasons. Still, no matter how you slice it, the postseason professional sports scene in Philadelphia has been bleak, and this year seems as if it will only add Heck, the Los Angeles Galaxy have five MLS titles and MLS is only 20 another chapter of darkness. seasons old. There was a brief moment in January when fans dared to hope that Alas, none of this comes as a surprise to anyone even remotely affiliated somehow the Sixers might scramble into an unexpected playoff bid. That with Philadelphia sports. The subject has been broached as often as faded as Joel Embiid's knee injury grew increasingly mysterious before throwing snowballs at Santa Claus. he finally was shut down for the remainder of the season. Still, as the Flyers fade from playoff contention and another Philadelphia Now, just as it has been for the previous four seasons, the highlight of sports cycle speeds to an end, it is appropriate to bring it up again, the Sixers' campaign will come down to how the pingpong balls bounce because, while Santa Claus is just a myth, the constant losing is an all- their way during the NBA lottery on May 16. too-familiar reality. Technically, the Flyers aren't out of this season's Stanley Cup playoffs Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2017 yet, but won once on their just-completed four-game road trip, dropping five out of possible eight points during the stretch that they claimed would determine their postseason fate. There have been no recent signs that this team can get on a run over the final stretch that will allow it to make up six points and jump three teams to reach the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Hopefully, the kiddie corps in the minors is as good as advertised and change for the better will come soon. Philadelphia is realistically looking at the Wells Fargo Center being dark this spring for the third time in the last five seasons, with the Flyers and Sixers. The Phillies are in spring training, but are rebuilding and make no pretenses about being playoff-ready for at least a few more seasons. The Eagles have had a nice period of free agency and are looking to add more in next month's draft. Still, while things can happen fast in the NFL, the 2017 seasons looks like another in which progress toward the postseason is a more realistic goal than actually participating. The Union, as is the normal for midmarket teams in Major League Soccer, have gone through another roster transition, so, while the expectations are that they will make the playoffs for the second straight year, it's too early to tell how the players on the roster will mesh. The last time a Philadelphia major pro team advanced out of the opening round of the playoffs was in 2012, when the Sixers beat the Chicago Bulls and the Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. Both lost in the next round. The Eagles have not won a playoff game since beating the New York Giants in the 2008 NFC divisional round. The Phillies have not won a playoff round since beating Cincinnati in the 2010 National League Division Series. The Union are winless in their two MLS playoff appearances. If the Flyers don't pull off a miracle by making the playoffs and winning at least the opening series, it will be five sports cycles and 25 combined seasons since one of the Philly majors has tasted any level of playoff success. The only major professional championship team I've covered since coming to the Daily News in 1994 was the 2008 World Series Phillies, but there have been playoff wins. If you count the Union losing U.S. Open Cup finals in 2014 and 2015, all five pro teams have played for a title. I'm sure lots of people with deeper roots to Philadelphia sports have suffered through worse, but I've never seen a period when no team has advanced in the playoffs for a span of five cycles. I'd say that should be a statistical impossibility, but then again, we are talking about a city where the Flyers have won only two Stanley Cups in 1052734 Philadelphia Flyers Oh, yes, try to remember this, too: Many, if not most, will not be around when this team's grand plan to join the haves is implemented with all those draft picks coming through. Donnellon: Flyers just are not that talented Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2017 by Sam Donnellon, Daily News Columnist

HE WON'T SAY IT, but it's there, in the undercurrent of every answer he gives about his foundering Flyers. Ask Dave Hakstol anything, frame it as fiercely or as friendly as you want, and his unblinking answers inevitably will laud effort while underlining missed opportunity and the minutia that separates games this time of the year, especially those low-scoring ones among the league's have-nots. Here's what he means, each time: The Flyers are not nearly as talented a team as many fans think or wish them to be, and the fact that two of the stars they leaned on so heavily during their unlikely run of a season ago - Claude Giroux and Shane Gostisbehere - are just now beginning to resemble even a sniff of their old selves only makes this more so. But the coach, still supported by the general manager who coerced him from a cushier college job, is loath to say that, perhaps fearing that the one thing they are capable of, and have given him - effort - would dissipate as a result. Clearly, we can at least say this about the Flyers after 68 games played: They are drowning in a sea of have-nots. They have no pure goal scorers, no game-changers, no shutdown defenseman, no stand-on- your-head goaltender who can steal games because to do so on most nights would require a shutout. Put Steve Mason or Michal Neuvirth on Pittsburgh, or Chicago, or even Monday night's opponent, Columbus, and they would avoid much of the hyperanalysis their play garners here. But they are not on those teams; rather one that has scored 63 fewer goals than the league leader, Pittsburgh. This disparity is made even worse when you consider the Flyers played the first two months of the season among the league's top- tiered in scoring. It is made worse when you subtract, too, that 10-game winning streak in which they scored three goals or more in eight of those games. What happened to that team? Nothing. No injuries to key players, specifically scorers. Nothing. And that's the problem. It maxed out then, during a period when other NHL teams are sorting things out, slotting players, figuring out their personality. "Nobody thought during that winning streak that we would be here," Jake Voracek lamented just hours before Monday's 5-3 loss against Columbus at the Wells Fargo Center. "But we are here." Contrary to the current angry analysis of many of their fans, these Flyers are not soft. You wince a little when the latest goat is Brandon Manning with his ill-placed stick, knowing how much he went through in front of friends and family in Edmonton, knowing how much he fought to get to this level, and how much fighting he has done once here. But that's exactly the point. The Flyers are overflowing with guys who worked their butts off just to reach this level they are competing at. They don't have another gear, which is clearly evident in the disparity between goals scored and allowed at even strength. Three left wings, Michael Raffl, Pierre-Eduoard Bellemare and Roman Lyubimov, had played in 165 games collectively before Monday night - and had combined for 15 goals. It's not that Matt Read doesn't want to score. He was a 24-year- old, undrafted college player when he signed with the Flyers. When Hakstol speaks, as he did Monday, about "getting to the net better against Rask and take his eyes away a little bit more and find a way to get one extra," it's like asking Dorothy to go kill another witch. It's hard to get to the net better when you're working so damn hard just to keep the puck in their zone. The Flyers had plenty of chances against Toronto, didn't get much help from Neuvirth on Thursday. They had a five-on-three early against Boston and came out with nothing there. "Good teams find a way," Voracek said. "No matter what." "We're not getting away with anything right now," Hakstol said. "We've got to make sure we do everything as well as we possibly can." He's been on that theme, too, for a couple of months now, makes it sound as if it's the plight of every team playing for the postseason. Hardly. It's the mantra of the have-nots, and no matter how it goes over these last 14 games, we should remind ourselves that, for the most part of most games, this team is doing everything as well as it possibly can be expected to. 1052735 Philadelphia Flyers The goal occurred on a delayed penalty call, and it was the sixth time this season the Flyers have been scored on in a six-on-five situation, which is tops in the NHL. Flyers fall to Columbus Konecny cut into the lead with his first goal. "Honestly, I was looking to pass it,’’ Konecny said. “I knew there was a By Wayne Fish guy coming in so I looked to my right side and I don't think he was expecting the shot when I let it go." . Short shots PHILADELPHIA — On a night when the Flyers finally rediscovered some offense, they wasted the effort with some questionable defense. Brandon Manning (upper-body injury) did not play and was replaced by Nick Schultz. Philadelphia rallied from a 2-0 deficit against the Columbus Blue Jackets to take a 3-2 lead Monday night. Burlington County Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 But then the Flyers' defense came unglued and they wound up losing a 5-3 decision at the Wells Fargo Center. A power-play goal by Brandon Dubinsky at 8:46 of the third period broke a 3-3 tie and sent the Flyers to their third straight defeat. Ironically, the player sitting in the penalty box at the time was Travis Konecny, who earlier had registered the first two-goal game of his career. The Flyers finished the game 1 for 8 on the power play and are just 1 for 26 in their last six games. Konecny took a lot of the blame for the setback, even though he had one of his best games of the season. "I kind of let the game get to me,'' Konecny said. "I was in the mix a lot tonight and for whatever reason, I decided to bump the guy on the way back to the bench. "It's a stupid penalty and to be honest, I put the game in my hands there. It's unacceptable.'' Why are the Flyers having so much trouble on the power play? "It could have been a lot different story if the power play had buckled down,'' Brayden Schenn said. "It's not good enough and we know that. "Teams are adjusting and we have to do a better job coming up with different plays. It might be a little stationary right now, We might have to get a little more puck movement and player movement. Hopefully that open up some lanes for guys to shoot at. It's frustrating.'' With the Flyers down 2-0, Konecny (who just turned 20 on Saturday) started a comeback with a goal at 14:10 of the first period. Taking a pinpoint lead-in by Shayne Gostisbehere, Konecny wristed a 20-foot shot past goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky. In the second period, Konecny scored his second goal and nearly had a third. After Schenn’s NHL-leading 15th power-play goal at 4:23 that tied the score, Konecny scored again at 11:03. Later, Konecny put a third shot into the net but that was negated because the Columbus net was moved due to a collision between Jake Voracek and the Blue Jackets’ Zach Werenski. The key to the Flyers’ comeback was not getting down after falling behind. "We kind of got deflated for a second,’’ Konecny said, “but then the older guys spoke up and kind of got us back going and on the right track and then put ourselves in a good opportunity here going into the second period." Another element of the resurgence was getting traffic in front of Bobrovsky. "The opportunities were there,’’ Konecny said of the first period. “We have to get into his (Bobrovsky’s) eyes, that's what we preached before the game. If he sees the puck he is more than likely going to stop it. We just have to keep getting the puck to the net. I know it sounds cliché but that's what you have to do in games like this." Columbus jumped on top early with goals from ex-Flyer Sam Gagner and Cam Atkinson. Gagner put a shot home after a pass from Boone Jenner from below the goal line deflected off Steve Mason’s stick and right into the slot at 7:42. Atkinson, who leads Columbus in scoring, notched his 31st goal at 8:42 when Radko Gudas lost his balance and was only able to push a weak shot into the Columbus zone. That allowed Werenski to spring Atkinson on a breakaway with not a Flyer in sight. 1052736 Philadelphia Flyers Negative goal differential The Flyers have scored just 173 goals and allowed a whopping 199. That is a minus-26, one of the worst negative goal differentials in the Eastern FLYERS: Patience pays off for first-liner Jordan Weal Conference. Clearly, the Flyers aren’t getting the job done in five-on-five hockey. By Wayne Fish, staff writer Jake Voracek admits it’s disappointing. “We really had a tough start that way at the beginning of the season,’’ VOORHEES — For Jordan Weal, it was well worth the wait. Voracek said. “That number can be misleading, but it’s very high, shouldn’t be that high. Both sides (goals scored, goals allowed) could be The North Vancouver, Canada, native, who turns 25 next month, was a better. If we scored more and allowed less, I think we would be in a third-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings in 2010. playoff spot right now.’’ It took him nearly seven years (282 games in junior, 264 in the minors) to Manning injured finally make it to the big show for possibly keeps. And now the left wing is reaping the rewards for patience and diligence. Brandon Manning is sidelined with an upper-body injury and is listed as day to day. Nick Schultz was expected to return to the lineup for Monday Acquired by the Flyers in the Vinny Lecavalier-Luke Schenn trade with night’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. ...Nick Cousins is the Kings in January 2016, Weal played the good soldier for the rest of expected to be scratched for the Columbus game and Roman Lyubimov the year in his role with the AHL Phantoms, and again for most of this will return to action. season. Burlington County Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 But since receiving a call-up a couple weeks ago, Weal has made the most of his opportunity — including a chance to play on the top line with Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds. Weal already has made a favorable impression in his first 10 games, scoring a pair of goals and registering a plus-4. “It’s pretty nice,’’ Weal said at Monday morning’s skate at the Skate Zone. “It’s been a lot of years of hard work, just sticking with it. Coach (Dave Hakstol) has given me an opportunity to play with some good players. I just to have to keep working with them to help this team win night-in, night-out.’’ At 5-foot-10, 178 pounds, Weal has to rely on quickness and awareness to navigate his way through the forest of towering NHL defensemen. It’s been a life-long survival formula, always playing with guys who were bigger than him all the way back to his childhood. While it may be early, some people are already drawing comparisons to another diminutive player, ex-Flyer Danny Briere. That’s flattering to Weal. “I remember him,’’ he said. “Every player has a different style, a different game. You can take little things from every guy but you don’t want to emulate someone too much to where you’re changing your own game. “I do recall watching him play ... he was one of the trickier, sneakier, smaller guys in the league. He knew how to position himself to get really good opportunities. It seemed like he had a breakaway every game and he capitalized on those chances. If I could take something like that from him, it would go a long way.’’ Getting traded to the Flyers might have been the best thing that ever happened to him. Change of scenery, change of opportunity. “I got a call from Ron (Hextall, the Flyers GM and former assistant GM of the Kings) and he said he wanted me,’’ Weal said. “He said he believed in me. That was very refreshing. Whatever happened at the end of last year happened (he sat out 26 games with a shoulder injury and didn’t dress for 14 others), I didn’t get in the lineup as much as I would have liked (only four games, none in the playoffs). “I just stuck with it. I kept grinding away. Went down to Allentown this year (where he led the team in scoring and received an AHL player of the month award), now I’m back up and getting a good opportunity.’’ One reason Weal has gained a lot of respect is because he’s willing to go into those dangerous areas to make plays. “I’ve been a small guy all my life and you learn how to play against bigger guys,’’ he said. “Learn how to handle it and not get tied up too much. For me, it’s not getting tied up on the boards, be able to escape, maneuver and make plays from there.’’ Hakstol said the decision to put Weal on the Giroux line didn’t take a lot of thought. “He had been doing a good job in a very short time period here,’’ Hakstol said. “He had been generating with the puck, creating puck possession in the offensive zone and making plays. He’s a good, tenacious player, does the little things well. “It’s been over several years for him. Last year was a tough year for a young player but he took advantage of the opportunity this year. Up here, he’s earning every opportunity and I don’t see why that would change.’’ 1052737 Philadelphia Flyers Brandon Manning will not be in the lineup tonight. He suffered an upper- body injury at Boston even though he played the entire game, although his ice time was down five minutes from his previous game in Toronto. ... FLYERS SKATE UPDATE: 4 GAMES INTO RETURN, TRAVIS Nick Schultz, who has sat 12 of the last 13 games, will replace him. ... KONECNY KNOWS HE'S GOT A LONG WAY TO GO Roman Lyubimov, who has sat six of the last seven games, will enter the lineup for Nick Cousins tonight on Bellemare's line.

Lineups By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com March 13, 2017 12:55 PM F: Weal-Giroux-Simmonds

Konecny-Filppula-Voracek VOORHEES, N.J. -- It's been four games since Travis Konecny returned to the Flyers' lineup from a dual injury and even he admits he has miles Read-Couturier-Schenn to go to return to where he was. VandeVelde-Bellemare-Lyubimov "I know it's a process," the Flyers' rookie winger said. "It doesn’t happen D: Provorov-MacDonald right away." Schultz-Gostisbehere Konecny missed nine games following an ankle and knee sprain back in early February. At the time, he was playing on Brayden Schenn's line Del Zotto-Gudas with Wayne Simmonds. G: Mason Since then, Flyers coach Dave Hakstol has mixed up his lines quite a bit. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 Much to the displeasure of Flyers fans, Konecny came back against Washington on Pierre-Edouard Bellemare's fourth line with Chris VandeVelde. That said, Bellemare's line produced two goals during Tuesday's 6-3 win in Buffalo, including Konecny's first marker (eighth overall) since Jan. 12 against Vancouver. "That game helped me a lot," Konecny said. "I got my confidence back a little bit. You're out and come back, it takes a while to get your hands going, get your feet going and get your conditioning back. Takes a while for everything. By Saturday in Boston, Konecny was back on a skill unit with Valterri Filppula and Jakub Voracek. Different line, different look, different objectives. "He's pretty poised with the puck," said Konecny, who spent much of the season with Schenn but could finish with Filppula. "He lets the play come to him, which is really important. "He just has that mindset where he's not going to just bust out of the zone and think offense all the time. It gives me and Jakey on the wings a little bit of security in the middle of the ice. As soon as he gets the puck, it allows us to get our feet going in the zone." Hakstol likes the progress Konecny has shown since his return. His ice time has gradually increased from under 11 minutes to 15, which is almost where he was earlier this season. Konecny will again be with Filppula Monday night as the Flyers meet the Columbus Blue Jackets at the Wells Fargo Center. Hakstol's team has three home games this week, including Pittsburgh (Wednesday) and Carolina (Sunday). "He played the full game with those two guys and did a pretty good job," Hakstol said of Konecny's game Saturday in Boston. "There's a couple areas we talked to him about where he has to clean up. This time of year, every play counts. His effort and energy was very good." The Flyers could have likely used Konecny against Toronto on a skill line, but the team was coming off a solid win in Buffalo and often Hakstol doesn't like making lineup changes after wins. "Guys in front of him were playing very well," Hakstol said. "The combinations were playing well. Yeah, partially, stepping back in this time of year, it's like diving in off the high-diving board at this point in time when you've been out a month." Konency said he wasn't feeling pressure to do something to get himself promoted higher in the lineup with more skilled players right away. "When it happens, it happens -- if it happens," he said right before the promotion on Saturday. "That is the coaches' decision. If the opportunity comes, I will be ready for it." Filppula said Konecny's courage as a small player is impressive. "He works hard, he can attack, he can skate and so far, I have nothing but good things to say," Filppula said. "He has really good hands and he's not afraid to get into the small areas in front of the net, which is good to see." Loose pucks 1052738 Philadelphia Flyers Allison played a major role in No. 8 Western Michigan extending its matchup in the NCHC Tournament to a third game last Saturday night. WMU, which is a 3-seed in the tournament, went down 1-0 behind 6- FUTURE FLYERS REPORT: FELIX SANDSTROM, OSKAR LINDBLOM seed Omaha after losing Friday, but Allison picked up a goal and two SOON COULD BE COMING OVERSEAS assists as the Broncos beat the Mavericks, 5-2, on Saturday. Allison didn't factor into the scoring Sunday night in the Broncos' 2-1 win to advance in the NCHC, but the freshman did suffer a head/neck injury on a collision in the first period and did not return. Western Michigan By Tom Dougherty | CSNPhilly.com March 13, 2017 9:00 AM announced he was discharged from a hospital and later returned to the arena. His status for the semifinals is uncertain.

Quick hits Before this week begins, it's time for our weekly check-in on the Flyers' prospects playing in the AHL, overseas and at the junior and college • Mark Friedman picked up an assist last Saturday night in Bowling levels. Green's 2-1 win over Bemidji State to clinch the WCHA semifinals series, 2-0. The Falcons will face Minnesota Tech in the WCHA final on In this week's report, we go overseas to check in on a pair of Swedish Saturday night. prospects who could be coming to North America next season and much more. Let's dig in. • Merrick Madsen helped Harvard advance to the ECAC semifinals by beating Yale, 2-0, in the Crimson's best-of-three games quarterfinals Felix Sandstrom, G, 6-2/187, Brynäs IF (SHL) series. Madsen yielded seven goals on 53 shots faced in two games -- a Sandstrom concluded the regular season last Thursday turning away 30 6-4 win and 4-3 win. The semifinal matchup is Friday, with the shots and yielding just one goal as Brynäs IF edged Leksand, 2-1, in the championship game the following night. Harvard will play Quinnipiac. final game of the season. Brynäs IF finished the regular season with 93 • Cooper Marody picked up two assists last Friday in a 3-2 Michigan win points, fifth in the SHL and qualifying for the playoffs as the 5-seed. over No. 11 Penn State. Michigan swept PSU in the weekend series. The Brynäs IF will face Linköpings HC in the quarterfinals beginning March two schools will meet in the Big Ten Tournament Thursday. Marody 18. finished the regular season with 14 points in 17 games. As for Sandstrom, the 20-year-old enjoyed a solid second full season in • Tanner Laczynski finished his regular season pointless in his last seven the SHL, which also included an excellent showing at the world junior games. He has 30 points in 31 games. Ohio State will face Michigan championships for Team . Sandstrom finished the season with State in the Big Ten Tournament. 46 games, compiling a 14-7 record with two shutouts, a 2.25 goals- against average and .908 save percentage. On the final year of his • Phantoms defenseman Travis Sanheim has a two-game goal streak contract, Sandstrom has the option of jumping overseas to play at Lehigh going after picking up goals last Friday and Saturday. He's now at 10 Valley next season. goals and 28 points through 60 games. But there are moving parts as to if Sandstrom comes to North America in • Stolarz rebounded after a string of poor performances in net at Lehigh 2017-18, and it has a lot to do with what the Flyers do with their Valley last week, stopping 19 of 21 shots in a 3-2 win over Hershey on goaltending situation both at the NHL and AHL levels. With Michal Friday night. Neuvirth signing a two-year extension, it's fair to speculate Steve Mason will not return to the Flyers, which would leave an open spot for a backup • A huge week for Saint John's Samuel Dove-McFalls, who had three job. goals and two assists in three games. Dove-McFalls now has a four- game goal streak going and a five-game point streak. He has 14 points in If the Flyers were to sign Sandstrom to his entry-level contract, it could his last 12 games, and 50 in 62 games this season. be an indicator of their future plans in net because it would be unlikely they would want three prospects fighting for time in the AHL. Bringing • Philippe Myers had a six-point week for Rouyn-Noranda last week, with Sandstrom over would suggest general manager Ron Hextall is a four-point game Sunday -- a goal and three assists in a 9-3 win over comfortable with either Alex Lyon or Anthony Stolarz as the Flyers' Val-d'Or. backup next year and would let the two goalies fight for the job in training camp come September. Both Lyon and Stolarz are restricted free agents. • Everett goalie Carter Hart posted his ninth shutout of the season last Wednesday, a 17-save performance in a 4-0 win over Spokane. Whatever comes of Sandstrom in the coming weeks and months is still to be determined. But his development in Sweden has to have the Flyers • Connor Bunnaman recorded a hat trick in Kitchener's 4-3 overtime win excited and he could be on his way. over Flint on Sunday. Bunnaman now has 34 goals in 61 games this season with the Rangers. Oskar Lindblom, LW/RW, 6-1/192, Brynäs IF (SHL) • Anthony Salinitri had a four-point week -- two goals and two assists -- While we're on the subject of Brynäs' season coming to an end, let's for Sarnia last week with a two-assist game in Friday's 5-3 win over touch base with another prospect who many believe will be with the Windsor. Flyers next year -- not the Phantoms. Lindblom had a three-point game in Brynäs' 5-2 win over Karlskrona last Tuesday, picking up his 22nd goal Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 and 24th and 25th assists of the season. He was pointless in the regular- season finale, but he finished as Brynäs' leading scorer with 47 points. He finished one goal shy of tying his teammate, Kevin Clark, as the SHL's top goal scorer, and fourth in the SHL in points. Lindblom's contract expires after the season, and no one expects him to return to Sweden next season. He could come over and finish the season with the Phantoms, either by signing his entry-level contract or inking a tryout contract. It's only a matter of time before Lindblom comes over to North America. Hextall hinted he expects Lindblom to be here next season when he acquired Valtteri Filppula at the deadline. Alex Lyon, G, 6-1/201, Lehigh Valley (AHL) The Phantoms' goaltending situation had been average in the last few weeks with both Lyon and Stolarz going through a bit of a funk -- Stolarz more than Lyon, though. Last week, however, Lyon put together two strong games for the Phantoms. Last Wednesday, Lyon pitched a 31- save shutout in Lehigh Valley's 3-0 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and followed that up with a 36-save, one-goal game Saturday night in a 4-1 win over Utica. Wednesday's shutout was Lyon's fourth of his career. Lyon told Highland Park Hockey's Tony Androckitis after Wednesday's shutout that he's "happy with the growth" he's had in his first professional season, but he still has ways to go before being NHL ready. Wade Allison, RW, 6-2/205, Western Michigan (NCAA) 1052739 Philadelphia Flyers coach Todd Richards was fired after seven games and Tortorella replaced Richards behind the bench.

In his first full season in Columbus this year, Tortorella has the Jackets FLYERS-BLUE JACKETS 5 THINGS: DEFINITE MUST-WIN, BUT running like a fine-tuned machine. PLAYOFFS APPEAR IMPROBABLE Columbus has excellent goaltending, plays tight defense and scores -- a lethal combination that qualifies it as a legitimate contender. The Jackets By Tom Dougherty | CSNPhilly.com March 13, 2017 9:00 AM score 3.2 goals per game (fifth in the NHL), allow 2.3 goals per game (second best in the NHL), have a 21.6 power-play percentage (sixth) and an 82.6 penalty-kill percentage (10th best). Flyers (31-28-8) vs. Blue Jackets (43-18-6) The Jackets have scoring depth, with three players with 20 or more goals and nine with 10 or more tallies. Three more have nine goals. Cam 7 p.m. on CSN/CSNPhilly.com and NBC Sports App; Pregame Live at Atkinson is a 30-goal scorer. Former Flyer Sam Gagner has enjoyed a 6:30 career resurgence under Tortorella, scoring 17 goals and 43 points in 66 games. He's six points shy of his career high of 49, set in his rookie year. The Flyers return home Monday night after a three-game road trip that all but put a dagger in their playoff hopes. They'll host the Columbus Blue 4. Keep an eye on ... Jackets at the Wells Fargo Center. Flyers: Travis Konecny found himself off of the fourth line Saturday for Let's take a closer look at Monday's matchup between Metropolitan the first time since returning from a left knee and ankle sprain on March Division foes. 4. Konecny didn't score against Boston but seemed to click well with Valtteri Filppula and Jakub Voracek. He's looked stronger with each 1. Playoffs a pipe dreAM game since his return, so Monday could be another strong step forward They said all the right things beforehand. They knew how big of a game it (see story). was. They knew they needed two points. And they were just 5.6 seconds Blue Jackets: Look no further than the goal crease for Columbus, a away from securing at least one. familiar face and former Flyer, Sergei Bobrovsky. After an injury-ridden Saturday afternoon's 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins came on an 2015-16 season, Bobrovsky is healthy and has himself in the "unfortunate mistake." A bad bounce, some bad luck. Much like it has conversation for his second Vezina Trophy since being traded to been the case for the Flyers this season. Columbus. Bobrovsky ranks in the top three in all of the four major goalie statistics -- second in save percentage (.930), second in goals-against Brandon Manning's intention wasn't to redirect a puck between the legs average (2.07), third in shutouts (six) and tied for the league lead with of Steve Mason, costing the Flyers two much-needed points. It was to Devan Dubnyk with 36 wins. Those 36 wins are a career high and a block a shot. Still, that was the result. Columbus franchise record for Bobrovsky. Yeah, the Flyers let that one get away. Hi, Ilya Bryzgalov. With 15 games left beginning Monday against Columbus, the Flyers have 30 points up for grabs. They squeaked into the playoffs last season with 5. This and that 96 points. To reach that total again this season, they would have to earn 26 out of the 30 points -- extremely unlikely. • Jordan Weal has three goals and one assist in his last six games. Two of those goals were challenged for offsides and both were upheld. The Flyers enter Monday six points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs -- who they lost to last Thursday in a four-point game -- for the second wild- • Claude Giroux enters Monday on a three-game point streak after card spot in the Eastern Conference. To make the playoffs, the Flyers will picking up an assist on Weal's goal Saturday in Boston. likely have to get to at least 93 points. They're at 70 now. • Ivan Provorov, the No. 7 overall pick in 2015, played a career-high It would require a minor miracle for the Flyers to make the playoffs at this 25:18 against the Bruins, registering five hits and two blocked shots. He'll rate. face off Monday with the No. 8 pick from 2015, defenseman Zach Werenski. 2. Money Mase • Columbus defenseman Ryan Murray suffered a broken right hand and It was another strong performance in net from Mason on Saturday, one will likely be out for the rest of the regular season, according to The that earned him another start on Monday night in a definite must-win Columbus Dispatch. situation. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 Mason stopped 25 shots in the 2-1 loss in Boston, stringing together several big saves that kept a rather lackluster team that should have been in desperation mode in the game. It has been clear that Mason has been the better goalie between himself and Michal Neuvirth for a while now and the numbers back it up. In his last 10 games -- nine starts, 510 minutes -- Mason has a 2.00 goals-against average and .936 save percentage with two shutouts dating back to Jan. 21. Mason played just two games in February; Neuvirth played nine (2-6-1). Let's compare that to Neuvirth's last 10 games. Dating back to Feb. 2, Neuvirth has a 2.61 goals-against average and an .892 save percentage, which is consistent with his overall production this season of .888, last in the NHL among qualified goalies. He is stopping a significantly lower percentage of shots than Mason and has faced, on average, about two shots fewer per game -- 24.1 to Mason's 26.5. In a tight playoff chase, the Flyers have to ride the hot hand. That has been Mason. Dave Hakstol went with Neuvirth in Toronto last Thursday, and while the team in front of Neuvirth wasn't nearly desperate enough, Neuvirth yielded three goals, two of which were soft goals and the other could be argued as a bad one to give up too. Mason will be between the pipes Monday, which makes sense given the magnitude of every game left on the schedule. He should be the goalie until cracks begin to show. 3. Stanley Cup dreaming From a top-three draft pick last season to the top three of the Eastern Conference this year, the Blue Jackets have seen an enormous turnaround under the tutelage of John Tortorella. The Blue Jackets were pegged as a surprise Stanley Cup contender last season, but injuries and another bad start doomed Columbus. Head 1052740 Philadelphia Flyers "We kind of deflated for a second, but then the older guys spoke up and kind of got us back going and on the right track and then put ourselves in a good opportunity going into the second period," Konecny said. Power play fails fading Flyers again in loss to Blue Jackets The last time the Flyers scored on a delayed penalty, dinosaurs roamed Delco. Yet that's what did indeed transpire at 14:10 when Shayne Gostisbehere perfectly set up Konecny for a snapper from the circle to By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com March 13, 2017 11:27 PM cut the Flyers' deficit in half. "Honestly, I was looking to pass it," Konecny said. "I knew there was a guy coming in, so I looked to my right side and I don't think he was It has become a recurrent theme for the Flyers all through this season. expecting the shot when I let it go." And now with precious few regular-season games remaining and their The rookie now has three goals in five games since his return from ankle playoff hopes flickering, they still can't get what they need most: power- and knee injuries. play goals. Schenn's goal tied it and Konecny's second goal, after the Flyers wasted The tragic irony is the Flyers have lived and died by Joey Mullen's power a lengthy power play, gave them their first lead of the night at 3-2. play for the last several years. Even thrived, at times. It lasted all of three minutes as Werenski, the Blue Jackets' teenage Monday night, in yet another game they had to get two points, the Flyers defenseman, tied it again off a set play Columbus employs during gave a fairly solid effort overall but still lost, 5-3, to the Columbus Blue faceoffs. Mason had no chance to see the puck through a line of traffic. Jackets because their power play again betrayed them (see Instant Replay). Brandon Dubinsky broke the 3-3 tie with a power-play goal in the third period with Konecny in the box for an unnecessary roughing penalty on "You look for results and that's the hard line," coach Dave Hakstol said. Oliver Bjorkstrand. "We're not looking for moral victories right now. Point blank. We didn't get the result we needed tonight." Konecny beat himself up after the game over the bad call. Truth is, the kid played an outstanding game and took an emotional penalty. That's all The Flyers were 1 for 8 with 14:30 of actual man advantage. it was. That's why they lost. It's why they lost in Washington last week. Why they "He's been a great player for us and playing great hockey," Schenn said lost in Boston with a 5-on-3. And why on so many nights this season, of Konecny. "Take a penalty. I've taken a couple they've scored on. It's when just one goal could make a difference, it didn't get the job done. the way it's going right now. That loss is not on him." "We had the chances, the plays we wanted. It just didn't go in," team Nope, it's on the power-play units. captain Claude Giroux said. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 The Flyers had five power plays in the second period and converted one by Brayden Schenn to make it a 2-2 game. They got a lead off a second goal from Travis Konecny, but couldn't do anything with the three power plays they had in the third when it was tied 3-3. "We forced them to take penalties, we had momentum. We came back and had the lead there and they were able to tie it up," Giroux said. How fitting that Schenn's 20th goal this season would come on the power play where he dons that invisible cape and becomes another Dave Andreychuk. That's a league-leading 15 power-play goals for him. "Got the puck to G (Giroux) and he gave me the no-look pass, which he is so good at, and I was able to get something on it and it was a good screen by Simmer (Wayne Simmonds)," Schenn said. That was it. No more in his stick or anyone else's. "It could have been a lot different story if the power play had buckled down," Schenn said. "Not good enough. How many chances we get? Seven, eight, nine? "I don't know. That could have won us the game. When you have that many chances, you have to capitalize and we haven't." It's been mostly the same group for a very long time. OK, Mark Streit is gone now and Kimmo Timonen before him. Yet the core here has been around a few seasons now. "Obviously, teams are adjusting and we have to do a better job of coming up with different plays," Schenn said. "Maybe we're a little bit stationary now. "We need more puck movement and player movement and maybe that will open up some lanes for guys to shoot the puck. It's something we have to look at. It's frustrating." Especially when you consider the Flyers began flat, had to overcome a 2- 0 deficit and had momentum and chances to seal the game. The first several minutes, the Flyers were forcing turnovers and shots and goalie Sergei Bobrovsky held his crease. When play went down ice, ex-Flyer Sam Gagner, who was a bust here, burned them with a one- timer off a pass from behind the net at 7:42. Exactly one minute later, the Blue Jackets' leading scorer Cam Atkinson took a rather slow stretch pass from Zach Werenski via a 2-on-none rush and went forehand/backhand a few times before beating Steve Mason to make it 2-0 as the boos rained down from the rafters. What was unfortunate there was Radko Gudas lost a skate edge on his shot and turned the puck over to create the breakaway. 1052741 Philadelphia Flyers

Instant Replay: Blue Jackets 5, Flyers 3

By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com March 13, 2017 9:47 PM

They got off to a very shaky start, rallied to tie, took the lead and eventually gave it up. It was an eventful Monday night for the Flyers that ended with a 5-3 loss at the Wells Fargo Center to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Travis Konency would have had a hat trick but his third goal was scored with the net clearly off its moorings. Instead, Brandon Dubinsky broke a 3-3 tie at 8:46 of the third period, ironically, with Konecny in the box. The outcome should not have been in doubt as Columbus scored twice early against the Flyers, who pressured at the outset and still couldn't buy a goal. Really, ever since the Flyers traded Sergei Bobrovsky to Columbus, the goalie has been lights out against the Flyers. Bobrovsky came into the game 6-1 with a 1.69 goals-against average and .943 save percentage against his old team. Yet, the Flyers fought back. Had their power play been better, they would have won easily. Missed chances Matt Read got a juicy turnover in front of the net early on and failed to capitalize on Bobrovsky. Notable goals Cam Atkinson's 2-on-none early in the first period made it 2-0. It was his 31st goal of the season. Radko Gudas lost his skate edge and it created a turnover. Notable goals II Since his return to the Flyers' lineup from injury, Konecny has three goals and an assist in five games. Goalie report Steve Mason gave up three goals on the first 14 shots he faced. He never saw the third one given traffic in front of him. Bobrovsky faced the harder test the entire game. Power play Good and bad. The Flyers pretty much wasted yet another 5-on-3 and then the remaining 3:33 when their setup wasn't very good. They did get a goal from Brayden Schenn that tied it, 2-2, in the second period when they had four chances. They finished a terrible 1 for 8. Their final PP had no shots and 6-on-4 for 34 seconds. They had 14:30 PP time overall. Penalty kill The Flyers didn't have to do a lot of PK work against the NHL's sixth-best power play but Dubinsky punished them with a goal to break the 3-3 tie. That's seven goals against in the last 15 chances on the penalty kill. Injuries Konecny drew blood on a high-stick to the face. Fights A couple scrums. Scratches Defenseman Brandon Manning (upper-body injury) and forwards Dale Weise (healthy) and Nick Cousins (healthy). Up next The Flyers may not practice Tuesday at Skate Zone because of the snowstorm. They are scheduled to host the Penguins on Wednesday at the Wells Fargo Center. Pittsburgh is coming in from Calgary on Tuesday. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052742 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers' disastrous road trip an opportunity lost in wild-card chase

By Tim Panaccio | CSNPhilly.com March 12, 2017 12:30 PM

BOSTON -- When they began their four-game road trip last Saturday night in Washington, the Flyers were on the upswing, having won two straight and feeling the trip was their chance to make a move. They were just three points behind the Islanders, their Metropolitan Division rival, for the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference. Saturday's stunning 2-1 loss to the Bruins in the final 5.6 seconds of regulation hurt the Flyers in multiple ways. Toronto (76 points) now occupies the last wild-card slot while the Flyers (70) still have to hurdle Tampa Bay (73) and the Isles (75) just to get to the Maple Leafs. Losing head to head in Toronto on Thursday was nothing short of disastrous because it represented a four-point swing in the standings. Then to play another pretty sound game Saturday afternoon and come away without anything while losing more ground is even harder to comprehend. "We worked pretty hard," coach Dave Hakstol said of Saturday's loss. "The effort of our hockey team on the road here was excellent. "You look at the goal that wasn't allowed, some other plays -- are those bounces or breaks? Hey, that's just part of hockey. ... A tough pill to swallow on the flight home." The Flyers host Columbus on Monday, one of three games on this week's schedule, which also includes a visit from rival Pittsburgh and a trip to New Jersey. "We'll come back from it," Hakstol said. "We've got a game Monday night. ... Get some rest and we go right back at it. We've got a long, important stretch in front of us here. ... Like we said, every next game is your most important right now." In each of the three losses on the trip, the Flyers played pretty well. A consistent theme that has cost them games this season has been their special teams play. They went 0 for 6 on the power play in losing in overtime at Washington. Their penalty kill gave up two goals in losing in Toronto. And their power play failed on a 5-on-3 against the Bruins while the PK allowed one goal. That was the difference in each of the losses, even allowing for a poor goaltending performance from Michal Neuvirth in Toronto. It also goes without say, the Flyers have had little or no luck down the stretch so far, even though the players don't use that as an excuse. There's a saying in hockey: You make your own breaks. "I think it all evens out over the course of the year," Jordan Weal said. "We just have to fight harder to find our own bounces and start scoring some goals." A number of players were understandably upset after Saturday's loss. Jakub Voracek lost a goal or maybe an assist on a non-whistle/whistle in which the Flyers likely had a goal taken from them. "Of course we're frustrated," Voracek said. "We were five seconds from overtime. Of course, you're mad. "But you can't change the past. Frustrating. Same thing all the time. We can't focus on the past. We have to focus on the next game." Loose pucks Wayne Simmonds (eight shots) and Voracek (seven) combined for 15 of the Flyers' 27 shots in the loss. Not enough shots from the team overall. Simmonds recorded six of his eight shots in the first period, while Voracek recorded five in the opening frame. ... Matt Read and Radko Gudas each had four hits. ... Rookie defenseman Ivan Provorov played a season-high 25:18. He led the Flyers with five hits and had two blocked shots. ... Claude Giroux extended his points streak to three with an assist on Weal's goal in the second period. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052743 Philadelphia Flyers up in our net. It stings now. This group won’t quit, that’s for sure. We’ve got to hope for some teams to lose hockey games today and hopefully we won’t be too far back.” 3 things to watch in Game 68: Flyers vs. Blue Jackets 2. Brandon Manning With 134 NHL games under his belt, Brandon Manning is a veteran of the Dave Isaac , @davegisaac 8:55 a.m. ET March 13, 2017 league. He also has another year left on his deal. So perhaps inadvertently tipping the game-winning goal behind his own goalie Saturday won't have a big mental effect on him. Tonight: Flyers vs. Columbus Blue Jackets “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 Site: Wells Fargo Center / Philadelphia 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.” Time: 7 p.m. 3. Goalie matchup TV/Radio: CSN/97.5 FM Expect the Flyers to continue riding Steve Mason. In 10 games against Records: Flyers 31-28-8; Blue Jackets 43-18-6 his former team, Mason is 3-3-4 with a 2.47 goals-against average and FLYERS PROJECTED LINEUP .919 save percentage. Sergei Bobrovsky is likely going to be the man for Columbus again. The ex-Flyer is 6-1-0 in seven games against them with Forwards a 1.69 goals-against average and .943 save percentage. 40-Jordan Weal, 28-Claude Giroux, 17-Wayne Simmonds Courier-Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 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" BLUE JACKETS PROJECTED LINEUP Forwards 20-Brandon Saad, 10-Alexander Wennberg, 71-Nick Foligno 38-Boone Jenner, 17-Brandon Dubinsky, 13-Cam Atkinson 43-Scott Hartnell, 89-Sam Gagner, 28-Oliver Bjorkstrand 29-Lauri Korpikoski, 25-William Karlsson, 49-T.J. Tynan Defensemen 8-Zach Werenski & 3-Seth Jones 7-Jack Johnson & 58-David Savard 27-Ryan Murray & 65-Markus Nutivaara Goalie 72-Sergei Bobrovsky Injuries/Suspensions RW Josh Anderson — day-to-day, knee injury LW Matt Calvert — injured reserve, oblique injury LW Lukas Sedlak — injured reserve, lower-body injury RW David Clarkson — long-term injured reserve, back injury THREE THINGS TO WATCH 1. Body language Yes, one of the three things to watch from the Flyers' last game. Here's why it's still true: the loss to the Boston Bruins may have been the final blow to the team's playoff hopes. Two years ago they had a crushing defeat to the Bruins when they had a lead, Brad Marchand scored with eight seconds left in regulation and the Flyers lost in overtime. They got whooped the next night against the Devils, losing by three. Will the Flyers pack it up again? “You really got to stick with it,” Brayden Schenn said Saturday after the loss. “We didn’t get the bounce with five seconds left there. That ended 1052744 Philadelphia Flyers They remain six points out of a playoff spot with no signs that they’ll get close by April 9 when the regular season ends.

“It could have been a lot different story if the power play had buckled Konecny puts loss on himself, but power play goes cold down,” Schenn said. “It’s not good enough and we know that. How many chances did we get tonight? Seven? Eight? Nine? I don’t even know what it is, but it could have won us the game and we just weren’t good Dave Isaac , @davegisaac 11:01 p.m. ET March 13, 2017 enough.” Courier-Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 PHILADELPHIA — Things have gotten so frustratingly sour for the Flyers that on a night where the power play went only 1-for-8 and the Columbus Blue Jackets really tried to blow it, a rookie tried to put the defeat on his shoulders instead. Travis Konecny scored a pair of goals to inject life into a flat Flyers team. All he could think of after the game was that he took the penalty that opened the door for Brandon Dubinsky’s winning goal in the Flyers’ 5-3 loss. “I kind of let the game get to me,” Konecny said. “I was in the mix a lot and for whatever reason I decided to bump the guy on my way back to the bench and they thought it was a penalty. It’s a stupid penalty by me and honestly I put the game in my hands there. It’s unacceptable.” He gave a shove to Oliver Bjorkstrand on his way off the ice for a line change and Dubinsky scored 86 seconds later on a wrist shot that beat Steve Mason cleanly. The Blue Jackets had less than four minutes of power-play time and the Flyers 14 minutes, 30 seconds. Both teams scored once on the man advantage. “I had a read on it. He beat me,” said Mason, who made 24 saves in defeat. “It’s a save that I wanted to come up with and obviously didn’t there. That was a big point in the game and I would have liked to make a save there.” Before Konecny took the penalty, he woke the team up after a two-goal deficit. It looked like a continuation of Saturday’s third period in Boston, like the Flyers were trying to play for a tie and just chipping pucks out of their own zone instead of making an aggressive attempt at Sergei Bobrovsky’s net on the other side of the rink. Sam Gagner fired his 18th of the season past Mason. Last year with the Flyers he had only 16 points. Sixty seconds later Cam Atkinson made it 2-0 on a 2-on-0. It wasn’t until Konecny’s goal, scored off the rush on a delayed penalty call, that the Flyers woke up. “Honestly, I was looking to pass it,” Konecny said. “I knew there was a guy coming in so I looked to my right side and I don’t think he was expecting the shot when I let it go.” That’s where the confidence is for the Flyers these days. Even the shots that end up as goals were first thought to be passes. On the power play it’s no better. The Flyers had five power plays in the second period, thanks to a total lack of discipline by the Blue Jackets, and had only Schenn’s goal on six shots. “We’re playing for our season right now and we’re in every game,” captain Claude Giroux said. “We just can’t find a way to get the points. We’re playing some good hockey, but at the end of the day, it’s not good enough.” Konecny scored again in the middle of the second frame, wheeling around everybody and sniping a corner above Bobrovsky’s glove from the right-wing circle. It gave the Flyers the lead for three and a half minutes before Zach Werenski scored on a slapshot through a maze of traffic from the point. Despite all their power-play time, 11 minutes and 36 seconds through two periods, the Flyers still trailed in shots. When Dubinsky scored the game-winner at 8:46 of the third, Konecny just sat in the box for a little while longer, absorbing the shame like a sponge. “That loss isn’t on him, that’s for sure,” Schenn said. “I think maybe if we don’t have nine or 10 power plays or whatever, maybe the ref lets that one go. Stuff like that happens. He’s going to the bench or whatever and guys run into each other. That loss isn’t on him. I’m sure he might feel like it’s that way, but it’s on the power play.” That power play is now 2-for-26 over the last half dozen games. On a night where the Flyers got some help with the Carolina Hurricanes doubling up the New York Islanders 8-4, they couldn’t help themselves. 1052745 Philadelphia Flyers The only player not on the ice for Monday’s morning skate was defenseman Brandon Manning. His end to Saturday’s game was devastating, inadvertently tipping the lob shot of Boston’s Drew Stafford Pending free agent Weal proving he can play in NHL behind Steve Mason to give the Bruins a regulation win with 5.6 seconds left.

There was no practice Sunday, but general manager Ron Hextall said Dave Isaac , March 13, 2017 that Manning was “day-to-day” with an “upper-body injury.” Nick Schultz suited up in his place after sitting as a healthy scratch for all four games of the road trip. VOORHEES — The whiplash seems odd, considering the success Jordan Weal had just come from. Loose Pucks He was the MVP of the playoffs two years ago, leading the Good news for 2016 second-round pick Wade Allison. The freshman at Manchester Monarchs to an American Hockey League championship Western Michigan had a scary crash into the boards Sunday night in a 2- with 22 points in 19 games. 1 overtime win against Omaha in the NCHC quarterfinals and was taken off the ice on a stretcher. Allison was sent to a local hospital, but Then he made the Los Angeles Kings’ roster… only to mostly sit as a discharged that night. … Nick Cousins was a healthy scratch Monday, healthy scratch. By the time he was acquired by the Flyers last January with Roman Lyubimov coming into the lineup on the fourth line. … Steve he’d played in only 10 games. Mason got the start in goal. Expect Hakstol to ride him a lot in the final month of the season. “It’s just that flow of being in a season night in and night out, knowing that you’re going to be in the lineup and getting on a consistent basis in that Courier-Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 way is so huge,” Weal said. “I was doing it my whole life and then last year wasn’t playing anymore. I’m not used to that.” Because he was basically ice cold when the Flyers got him, Dave Hakstol didn’t see fit to give him much of a chance last year. Weal played in only four games for the Flyers, who were in the midst of a run to the playoffs. The Flyers clearly needed skill, but putting Weal in the lineup was asking a player who had no consistency to his season to be at the top of his game at the most important time. It was even tougher to ask a lot of Weal because the 10 games he’d played with the Kings were the only ones he’d ever played in the NHL. “A lot of times in practice you’re just doing those drills to keep you in shape and you don’t get those game-situation drills,” Weal said. “It’s tough to keep that game feel going. Once you lose that, it’s tough to get it back, especially if you haven’t had success at that level before and know you could do it. It’s tough to really jumpstart that when it’s not there in the first place.” A year later, he’s definitely got that routine down. Weal had 47 points in 43 games for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and was second in the league in points when the Flyers called him up. Now he’s on the top line with Claude Giroux and Wayne Simmonds. “I think the way that he’s played, the way that he, G and I have played, he’s definitely showed that he can play in this league or else he wouldn’t be playing with us,” Simmonds said. “I enjoy playing with him. He’s got a boatload of skill and seems to be really smart out there too. He knows when to use his skill and he knows when to get a puck deep in a safe area.” That last part might have come from his limited NHL experience with the Flyers last season. He was a bottom-six forward when he was given a chance, playing “that fourth line, chip-it-in-and-go-get-it role.” It’s one that Weal admitted he could have prepared better for, now that he looks back. In his games for the Flyers this season — Monday against Columbus was his 11th — he has been used as a skill player, getting big minutes and is now on the second power play unit. “He’s playing some good hockey right now,” Giroux said of Weal, who had three goals and an assist heading into Monday’s game. “He’s got some confidence and when he has the puck he makes plays. When he has the puck you just try to get open.” Maybe last year’s down year is being repaid now. Not only is Weal showing he can play in the league, but he’s in a unique spot. Even though he’s 24, he can be an unrestricted free agent this summer because he’s got more than three years of professional experience and has played fewer than 80 NHL games. It’s a little soon for him to be thinking of next year, but at the very least it sounds like the Flyers will be in the mix if he decides to wait until July 1 to take care of a new contract. “This is a great organization. They’ve given me a chance here,” Weal said. “We’ve got some great players, great talent and some great guys as well. I’m gonna let the agent take care of all that stuff when the time comes, but right now there’s 15 games left in the season to really get back into this thing and make another push.” Manning out 1052746 Pittsburgh Penguins

Crosby, Malkin score in Penguins' shootout loss to Flames

Jeff Mackinnon | Tuesday, March 14, 2017, 12:21 a.m.

CALGARY, Alberta — The Penguins' winning ride through western Canada hit a pothole Monday in Calgary. They fell 4-3 in a shootout to the Flames after beating Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver to start their five-game road trip, which ends Wednesday in Philadelphia. It ended their win streak at five and prevented them from overtaking the Washington Capitals in the quest for top spot in the Metropolitan Division. They did pull even, though. Kris Versteeg scored the lone goal in the shootout. Penguins' big three of Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Phil Kessel all were stopped. Crosby tied the score on a reviewed goal with 3 minutes, 31 seconds remaining. He batted the puck in just as Flames goalie Brian Elliott was gloving it, but goaltender interference was ruled out and the Penguins captain had his first goal in eight games. The Penguins had a power-play chance in overtime when Nick Bonino took a high stick from Flames captain Mark Giordano with 2:22 remaining. Johnny Gaudreau's power-play goal with 5:22 gone in the third period gave Calgary a 3-2 lead. He danced around Penguins from the blueline and beat Marc-Andre Fleury on a wrap-around. Conor Sheary got his 20th goal of the season, and Evgeni Malkin also scored. Crosby added an assist. Deryk Engelland and Dennis Wideman, defenseman who rarely score, got lucky goals for Calgary. The Penguins came out aggressive and got the early jump at 2:54 when Crosby passed across to Jake Guentzel behind the net, and Guentzel fed Sheary in front. He slipped the puck behind Elliott before the goalie could react. After leading 6-1 on shots early, that momentum stalled for a spell when Ron Hainsey was called for high sticking at 8:02. The Flames tied the score when Engelland's pass went in off Mark Streit's skate at 13:48. Malkin's eighth goal in his past eight games came on a give-and-go with Chris Kunitz on the power play at 15:51 that left him with an easy tap-in. Guentzel almost made it 3-1 late in the period, but after taking a feed from Crosby in the slot, his snapshot pinged off the crossbar. The Flames tied the score, however, early in the second. Wideman's floater from the point was catapulted off Nick Bonino's glove towards the net, and Fleury lost track of it before it bounced across the goal line. Fleury faced seven shots in the second period, but it seemed his six stops were all big. Most notably, he made two pad saves to rob Matthew Tkachuk during a power play midway through the period, then followed with a tough glove stop of Dougie Hamilton. The Penguins were without seven regulars due to injury, and it was their third straight game without center Matt Cullen. He skated in practice Monday morning but was kept out of the lineup again with a lower-body injury. In his place was right winger Josh Archibald, who was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton prior to the game and started on a line with Bonino and Scott Wilson. Tribune Review LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052747 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins notebook: Cullen misses 4th straight game

Jeff Mackinnon | Monday, March 13, 2017, 9:42 p.m.

Matt Cullen took part in the morning skate Monday but missed his fourth straight game Monday night against Calgary. Cullen, who has an undisclosed lower-body injury, has 10 goals and 13 assists in 59 games this season. The Penguins recalled Josh Archibald from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton earlier in the day. Archibald has played in two games NHL this season, scoring his first two goals Feb. 11 in Arizona. He has 14 goals and 13 assists in 57 AHL games this season. Coach Mike Sullivan said while the injuries are testing the Penguins' depth, quality young players have emerged. “They bring a certain level of enthusiasm to the rink every day, and I think that's contagious,” he said. “It's good for the veteran guys. When you go through these pits of adversity, it's an opportunity to galvanize our group. That's our hope is we stay together and work for one another, and that's what we've done game-in and game-out.” Fleury's turn Sullivan gave a one-word answer when asked if Marc-Andre Fleury would start against Calgary before he moved on to the next question. “Yes,” he said. Fleury beat the Edmonton Oilers, 3-2, in a shootout Friday and was on the bench in Vancouver as Matt Murray posted a 27-save shutout of the Canucks the next night. Time for a change Sidney Crosby naturally was swarmed by the media after the morning skate. Among the questions was one about the wackiness of the Penguins' current road trip, which has involved four time zones and the switch to daylight savings time Sunday morning. “It's not your typical road trip, especially out here, but with the condensed schedule you kind of expect that,” he said. “We've handled it well. We want to make sure we're finding consistency, especially on the road. We haven't been as great, so we've done a good job so far, and hopefully we can keep having a good trip here.” The Penguins were scheduled to fly home from Calgary after the game, then travel to Philadelphia to wrap up a five-game road trip against the Flyers on Wednesday. Schultz thriving Defenseman Justin Schultz has been on the receiving end of a lot of attention in Alberta during this trip after he essentially was run out of Edmonton last February in exchange for a third-round pick in last summer's draft. Schultz has looked rejuvenated, ranking fourth on the team with 46 points on 12 goals and 34 assists heading into Monday's game. “What our coaching staff has appreciated about Justin is just his commitment to play away from the puck and defend,” Sullivan said. “The subtleties of that aspect of his game that maybe the average fan doesn't see but we see game in and game out. He's worked extremely hard at that.” Tribune Review LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052748 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins starting to find rhythm on penalty kill

By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

CALGARY, Alberta — A month ago, the Penguins penalty kill was ranked 23rd in the NHL. They were coming off a two-game road trip on which they had allowed power-play goals to the Avalanche and Coyotes, the two worst teams in the league, and were killing penalties at just a 79.0 percent clip. While the Penguins had demonstrated plenty of strengths, playing shorthanded just wasn’t one of them. Since then, though, their penalty-killing unit has steadily improved. Aided by the addition of veteran defenseman Ron Hainsey, the Penguins have started to climb to almost the middle of the pack. Over the past month, the Penguins have killed 87.2 percent of their penalties, 13th in the NHL over that span. As they head into Monday’s game against the Flames, their season-long penalty-kill percentage sits at 80.5 percent, 19th in the league. “We didn’t start the year how we wanted to, but over the course of the year, we’ve gotten better and better,” defenseman Ian Cole said. “I think it’s a process. I don’t think you can just snap your fingers and have a great penalty kill.” It might not be a snap of the fingers, but the addition of an established penalty-killing defenseman can certainly help. Hainsey has eaten up big shorthanded minutes for the Penguins since being acquired from Carolina Feb. 23. In his eight games with the Penguins, he leads the team with an average of 3:50 shorthanded time on ice per game. That’s a bit inflated due to the small sample size but only slightly higher than the 3:03 Hainsey was averaging in Carolina. During Hainsey’s stint with the Penguins, their kill percentage has been 81.8 percent. “Obviously that guy knows how to plays smart out there,” winger Tom Kuhnhackl said. “He plays big minutes for us, he’s a huge penalty-kill guy. He’s not shy to throw his weight around, throw his body around, blocking shots, all that kind of stuff.” Beyond adding players, Cole and Kuhnhackl both said the Penguins existing penalty-killers have started playing better. Playing down a man, chemistry and communication are more important. “Everything needs to be very clean, everything needs to be very precise and very perfect,” Cole said. “That chemistry takes time. Would we liked to have been clicking sooner? Yeah, absolutely. But as long as we’re clicking here at the end of the year and by the playoffs, that’s really what matters.” Coach Mike Sullivan has noticed a more cohesive effort on the penalty kill, too. But he also credited some of the improvement to just straight-up determination. “We’ve gotten better as a group with just collective effort and cooperative effort, so that we’re pressuring pucks as a group, not necessarily in isolation,” Sulivan said. “It’s a lot harder to beat cooperative effort than it is to beat isolated effort. “A lot of times there’s a fine line between success and pulling pucks out of the back of your net on a penalty kill. The players that are doing it for us now, I think, are really just making an all-in commitment to keep the puck out of the back of our net.” Post Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052749 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins recall Josh Archibald from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

By Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Penguins have recalled forward Josh Archibald from their farm team in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. He has 14 goals and 13 assists in 57 games with the Baby Penguins this season and scored a goal in three of his past five games. Archibald, 24, scored his first two NHL goals in Feb. 11 at Arizona. He has appeared in three NHL games, including one last season. The Penguins will play in Calgary tonight. Post Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052750 Pittsburgh Penguins

Newly acquired Frank Corrado tries to settle in with Baby Penguins

By Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Frank Corrado still is adjusting and adapting. Trying to get acclimated to his new team’s personnel and systems while figuring out the best places to buy groceries and gasoline. Corrado, a defenseman the Penguins acquired from Toronto at the NHL trade deadline March 1, said, “I settle in more every day.” But there’s not much reason to believe his transition to a new club and surroundings is complete. That means it’s too early to pass judgment on his performance with the Penguins’ minor league team in Wilkes-Barre, let alone on his potential to help the parent club in the future. Good thing, too, because the assessment of his work so far likely would be a resounding “Meh.” Corrado has played five largely undistinguished games for Wilkes-Barre since the trade. His personal linescore: No points, nine shots, four penalty minutes and a plus-minus rating of minus-1. He has shown neither flashes of great promise nor glaring flaws that demand immediate and radical attention. The Penguins sent forward Eric Fehr (or, more to the point, his $2 million contract), defensemen Steve Oleksy and a fourth-round draft choice to the Maple Leafs for Corrado, who had tumbled down Toronto’s depth chart until he ended up with its American Hockey League affiliate, the Marlies. Corrado said he had no reason to believe that Toronto planned to trade him and never had been told why he fell out of favor with management there. “There was never really, ‘You need to do this and then you’ll be able to play,’ ” he said. “It was a tough situation. I don’t really know how to describe it. “It wasn’t good for me, so it was definitely good to get out of that situation.” Corrado, a right-handed shot, is a good skater who can move the puck well, qualities that make him a reasonable candidate to contend for a place on the Penguins defense in the future. “So far, so good,” Wilkes-Barre/Scranton coach Clark Donatelli said. “I don’t see any reason he can’t play in the NHL. He’s definitely a top prospect.” Corrado, 23, entered pro hockey as a fifth-round draft choice in 2011 by Vancouver, which lost him to Toronto on waivers in 2015. He has put up three goals and five assists in 69 NHL appearances, two of which he made with the Maple Leafs this season. His career AHL numbers — 14 goals and 37 assists in 131 games — are a bit more striking, and Corrado does have some traits and talents that could translate to point production. “He can move the puck,” Donatelli said. “Good size [6 feet, 195 pounds], he can skate and he can make that first pass coming out of his zone.” Those are qualities the Penguins like in their defensemen. Should he continue to develop, it’s not a reach to suggest that he could turn up on the major-league depth chart someday. Not that getting there is his primary focus as he settles in with the Baby Penguins. “I’m honestly not even thinking of that right now,” Corrado said. “My main focus is just to play the best I can here in Wilkes-Barre. “If the time comes for [a promotion], that’s great. That will take care of itself. “But, right now, I just want to play my game and help the team win here. Take it one day at a time.” And, with any luck, find a satisfactory supermarket and service station. Post Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052751 Pittsburgh Penguins “We tip our hat to Calgary,” Sullivan said. “They’re a good team, they played extremely hard. But I thought our guys did as well. We would’ve liked to have gotten one on that 4-on-3, but obviously it didn’t go our way Penguins lose, 4-3, to Calgary in shootout there. Certainly it was a big point from our standpoint.” Post Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2017 By Sam Werner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

CALGARY, Alberta — The Penguins’ road trip to Western Canada over the past week has been defined equally by mounting injuries and mounting wins. They picked up one more of the former Monday night in Calgary, and came oh-so-close to pulling off another victory, too. The Penguins lost to the Flames, 4-3, in a shootout, ending their winning streak at five games and sending them back east one point short — seven out of eight — of a perfect four-game swing. “We would’ve liked to have gotten the two points tonight,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “It didn’t work out, but certainly it was a big point for us.” It was, indeed, a big point, as it propelled the Penguins into a tie with Washington for first place in the Metropolitan Division as well as the top spot in the NHL. Their climb up the standings has come over the past week, despite now missing eight regular starters — including four defensemen — due to injury. The latest Penguin to go down was defenseman Mark Streit, who got hurt blocking a shot late in the first period Monday. Streit did not return, and was taken to the hospital for further evaluation. Sullivan did not provide an update on his status beyond confirming a lower-body injury. “It’s not an excuse, but it’s definitely tougher with five D,” defenseman Justin Schultz said. “I thought we did a pretty good job and had a good chance in overtime to get the win.” Even playing with five defensemen for the final two periods Monday night, the Penguins went toe to toe with perhaps the hottest team in the NHL. The Flames win Monday was their 10th in a row. “We played a really good team that’s won a lot of games as of late, and they’re a hard team to play against,” Sullivan said. “It was a competitive game. It was a fairly even game, could’ve went either way. It’s a shame it’s got to end in a shootout. It was two pretty good teams going at it.” Like good teams are wont to do, the teams traded blows throughout the night. The Penguins got two goals from their newly-created top line of Jake Guentzel, Sidney Crosby and Conor Sheary. Sheary scored his 20th goal of the season to open the scoring at 2:54 of the first, and Crosby ended a seven-game stretch without a goal with his tying score late in third to send the game to overtime. “There’s no panic on the bench,” Sullivan said. “We just keep pushing, keep trying to play the game the right way.” The trio of Guentzel, Crosby and Sheary combined for six points on the night, giving them a total of 12 over the past three games. “They’ve been pretty dynamic,” Sullivan said. “They’re a line that has some chemistry right now. The three of them, I think they’re hard to play against.” The Flames proved equally as difficult Monday night. During the middle stages of the game, Sullivan said he felt the Penguins made too many lateral plays near their offensive blue line, giving the Flames some chances off the rush and allowing them to seize momentum. “We forced them that weren’t there and they got some quality chances,” Sullivan said. “We got some big saves from Marc. But I thought we came out in the third, we rectified that and played smarter at the line.” That smarter play led to Crosby’s goal and forced the extra session. The Penguins even had a chance to get the win in overtime with a two- minute, 4-on-3 power play. They may have picked up a point in the standings, but that missed opportunity ate at Schultz after the game. “We’re not happy about it,” Schultz said. “We had a chance there in overtime 4-on-3 to win it and couldn’t get it done. It’s disappointing.” Given the number of injuries and the overall success of the road trip thus far, though, it’s hard for that disappointment to mount too high. 1052752 Pittsburgh Penguins

The healthy Penguins aren't helping with the team's injury problem

By Adam Bittner / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Penguins are running out of players with which to play hockey games. Defensemen Kris Letang and Trevor Daley as well as forwards Patric Hornqvist, Matt Cullen and Carl Hagelin have all missed time lately with various injuries. And it didn’t get better in a 4-3 shootout loss Monday night in Calgary. Behold this short Twitter tale of woe by Post-Gazette Penguins reporter Sam Werner. Bonino banged up after blocking a shot. — Sam Werner (@SWernerPG) March 14, 2017 Don’t see Mark Streit on the bench as the #Pens come out for the second period. — Sam Werner (@SWernerPG) March 14, 2017 Just saw the Streit replay. Looked like a hand/wrist. — Sam Werner (@SWernerPG) March 14, 2017 Ian Cole a bit slow to get up after blocking that shot but he’s OK. — Sam Werner (@SWernerPG) March 14, 2017 Looks like center Nick Bonino and defenseman Ian Cole are OK — (very scary voice) for now — as they continued. Defenseman Mark Streit, though, had not returned from the locker room by the end of the game. Sure, shot blocking is a respected art form in a macho sport like hockey. Anything for the team! But — hot take alert — might be a good idea not to risk injury with so many guys already down and the playoffs looming in a month or so. They’re paying Marc-Andre Fleury a lot of bones to stop those hunks of frozen rubber, guys. Post Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052753 San Jose Sharks

Joe Pavelski named NHL’s First Star of the Week

By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: March 13, 2017

SAN JOSE — Joe Pavelski was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week on Monday as he had five goals and an assist in four games to lead the Sharks to three victories. The Sharks captain scored twice in a 3-2 win over the Winnipeg Jets on March 6. His second goal, the game-winner that came in an empty net, was assisted by Joe Thornton, the 1,000th assist of Thornton’s career. Pavelski, 32, had a goal and an assist in the Sharks’ 4-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Thursday, then added two goals, including one shorthanded, in the Sharks’ 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars on Sunday. Pavelski now has 26 goals and 61 points in 68 games this season. He has seven game-winning goals, tied for fifth-most in the NHL. Anaheim Ducks goalie Jonathan Bernier was the NHL’s Second Star and Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson was the Third Star. Pavelski was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week one other time in his career, for March 14-20, 2011, when he had three goals and eight assists in four games. The Sharks host the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052754 San Jose Sharks

As ninth round draft pick, Jannik Hansen’s in select company

By CURTIS PASHELKA | March 13, 2017 at 6:40 PM

List of ninth round draft picks from 1995-2004 who have played in at least 500 NHL games (entering Monday). The NHL shortened the draft from 11 rounds to nine in 1995, and went from nine rounds to seven in 2005. Year Player Drafted by No. of NHL games (entering Monday) 2004 Mark Streit* Montreal 770 2004 Daniel Winnik* Phoenix 703 2004 Jannik Hansen* Vancouver 568 2003 Matt Moulson* Pittsburgh 624 2003 Tanner Glass* Florida 504 2002 Jonathan Ericsson* Detroit 529 1998 Karlis Skrastins Nashville 832 1996 Craig Adams Hartford 951 1996 Sami Salo Ottawa 878 1995 Danil Markov Toronto 538 San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052755 San Jose Sharks Hansen has 236 points in 568 NHL games, which includes one assist in three games with the Sharks. He’s skilled but isn’t flashy, and it appears his blue-collar approach with mesh well with his new linemates. Jannik Hansen has spent career defying odds, breaking barriers Right off the hop, coach Pete DeBoer has played Hansen on the Sharks’ top line with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski. By CURTIS PASHELKA | PUBLISHED: March 13, 2017 “I like that line. I really like Jannik Hansen’s game in general,” DeBoer said after the Sharks’ 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars. “I also like what he brings to that line, just some speed and he gets pucks back for them. He goes to dirty areas. I think he’s a really nice fit.” SAN JOSE — Like a lot of his hockey-playing countrymen 15 years ago, Jannik Hansen thought he might be able to forge a career in Sweden, Perhaps it’s just another example of Hansen taking advantage of an Germany or Switzerland. opportunity. Going to the NHL at the time seemed like a distant dream for any He’s hoping young players back in Denmark will do the same. Danish-born player. “Back home now, they say, these guys can do it, they’re still there. We “We didn’t get any games, there was no exposure,” Hansen said of the can do it as well,” Hansen said. “A plane ride, give it a shot and you NHL in that time period. “You had some hockey cards, but I had never never know what happens.” seen anybody play live. Maybe seen one NHL game before.” San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Hansen got a chance when the Vancouver Canucks made him the 287th overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Through hard work and a little bit of luck, Hansen, the newest member of the Sharks, has turned it into 10-plus seasons in the league. “He really proved that he was worthy of being given a chance,” said longtime friend Mikkel Boedker, who grew up with Hansen, “and when the chance came, he jumped on it.” Hansen, who turns 31 on Wednesday, said there were less than 20 hockey rinks when he was growing up in Denmark, where soccer is the most popular sport. Hansen was fortunate that in his hometown of Rodovre, just a few miles from Copenhagen, there was an arena about a 10-minute bike ride away. “When I grew up, there were maybe 16-18 rinks in the country and if you’re not from those cities, you don’t play,” Hansen said. “You play a different sport.” Hansen was playing well in his draft year as an 18-year-old for his hometown team in a men’s league. But outside of the Canucks, there wasn’t a ton of interest from NHL scouts. Hansen said Danish players had to overcome some doubts about their durability at the time. First, would they come to North America? Second, would they last? “You kind of always had, ‘Oh, he’s Danish, we might not know if he’s got what it takes or if he’s going to come over,” Hansen said. “They were kind of hesitant.” Still, the Canucks, with the fifth-to-last pick in the 2004 draft, took Hansen. He was only the second Danish-born player of that time frame to get picked by an NHL team, after Frans Nielsen was taken in the second round of the 2002 draft by the New York Islanders. Nielsen, now with Detroit, has played 670 NHL games. He and Hansen helped open doors for a lot of their younger countrymen to get noticed. “Now it doesn’t really matter if a player’s got a Canadian passport or a Danish passport,” Hansen said “They pick the guy based on merit. “I think that’s a tribute to a lot of the guys that are coming through and proving that we can stick around.” Washington Capitals defenseman Lars Eller was taken in the first round, 13th overall, by Detroit in 2007. Boedker was taken eighth overall by Arizona (nee: Phoenix) in 2008. A handful more have been drafted since, including Nikolaj Ehlers, who went ninth overall in 2014 to the Winnipeg Jets. Three Danish-born players were taken in the 2016 draft, including Joachim Blichfeld, taken by the Sharks with the second-to-last pick in the seventh and last round. Hansen’s not going to take credit for their development or their pro careers. But he did show that it was possible for players from Denmark to make an impact in the NHL. “Nobody from our country had really shown the path to break in and contribute like that,” said Eller, 27, who is also from Rodovre. “(Hansen) had to overcome a lot of obstacles and he’s done great, especially considering he was one of the last guys to even get picked in the draft.” 1052756 San Jose Sharks Niemi said: “I got the word when they decided [to change goalies], so I don't think it matters. Just a few more steps. Maybe it was better to get a few extra seconds there to get mentally ready.” THREE TAKEAWAYS: MARTIN IMPRESSING ON SHARKS BLUE On the Sharks bench, Martin indicated they weren’t sure what was LINE; FINDING NEMO happening as Lehtonen floated towards center ice, but was then forced to go back to the crease as the puck was dropped. By Kevin Kurz March 13, 2017 “I thought Benn was maybe hurt and getting off the ice,” Martin said. “Usually the goalie is sitting right over there. Obviously he was in the back, so…haven’t seen that before.” SAN JOSE – It took some time for the Sharks to get going, but the end Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 result on Sunday against Dallas was a fairly easy 5-1 win over a disappointing Stars team that will miss out the postseason. The veterans led the way, as we focused on in the game recap, but let’s dig a little deeper in the three takeaways… 1 – Martin finding the scoresheet On Sunday morning Sharks coach Pete DeBoer was asked about Paul Martin, who rarely makes headlines but whose unassuming game this season has been a huge part of San Jose’s success. “I think he’s gotten better as the season’s gone on,” DeBoer said of the 36-year-old. “The tougher the grind of the schedule, the more he’s rising to the occasion. I thought [Saturday afternoon] he might have been our best defenseman. That’s great to see. He takes good care of himself, he’s a pro’s pro, and a big part of our group.” Martin had another notable performance on Sunday, notching a pair of assists on the two most important goals of the evening. He sprung Joe Pavelski on a two-on-one that the captain finished off, and continued a quick passing play from Patrick Marleau to Logan Couture that Joel Ward slammed home early in the second. He’ll bring a three-game point streak (1g, 3a) into Tuesday’s game against Buffalo. “The guys have made some good plays on just some pucks that I’ve passed to them, so I think it’s just a coincidence,” Martin said of his scoring uptick. Pavelski gave his teammate a little more credit than that. “He’s been up in the play. He’s been really solid with the puck, the way he’s been reading plays,” Pavelski said. “That’s what we know he can do. He’s at a high level right now.” 2 – New second line generates a pair Ward was promoted to the second line in place of Mikkel Boedker late in the loss to Nashville on Saturday, and remained in that spot against the Stars. The 36-year-old scored his first goal in 10 games early in the second period, after linemate Marleau opened the scoring less than four minutes into the game. The Sharks would love to get more from Ward, who has shown to be a clutch playoff performer, as the postseason approaches. He has eight goals and 26 points in 66 games, after finishing with 21 goals and 43 points in 79 games last season. “For me, it’s just trying to get pucks out, get to open areas, help my linemates as much as possible, and just try to do little things and believe in that process,” Ward said. “Our team gets chances, so it’s just a matter of when you do, you just try to have some opportunities. I’ve had opportunities, just couldn’t score. Today I got a good pass from Cooch, and fortunate to put one in. If you stay with it and believe in it, you’ll get your opportunities.” The Couture-Marleau-Boedker line had started together the previous 17 games (other than Feb. 11 in Philadelphia, which Couture missed due to illness). 3 – Finding Nemo, Dallas edition Perhaps the most memorable event of the night came just after Ward’s goal made it 3-1, when Dallas coach Lindy Ruff wanted to pull Kari Lehtonen for Antti Niemi. The problem was, Niemi was nowhere to be found more than two minutes into the middle frame. Jamie Benn had to come off of the bench and leave the ice to go find the netminder, who entered the game at the next stoppage of play. Cameras showed the Stars head coach was not too pleased behind the bench at the time, but he was restrained after the game when asked about the delay in the tunnel, where Niemi should have been. “[The referee] said, ‘you’re going to have to wait until the next shift,’ so it was probably the right call," Ruff told reporters. 1052757 St Louis Blues Jake Allen KINGS Blues get Stastny, Parayko back for key showdown with Kings Forwards Marian Gaborik-Anze Kopitar-Jarome Iginla By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch Tanner Pearson-Jeff Carter-Tyler Toffoli Dustin Brown-Adrian Kempe-Trevor Lewis LOS ANGELES • The Blues will have center Paul Stastny, who missed Kyle Clifford-Nic Dowd-Andy Andreoff the last game with the flu, and defenseman Colton Parayko, who missed the last game with a lower body injury, back on the ice for Monday night's Defensemen big showdown with the Kings. Derek Forbort-Drew Doughty The Blues will be without center Jori Lehtera, who stayed home after Jake Muzzin-Paul LaDue missing the last game after taking a puck to the head in the game with the Ducks. Ivan Barbashev will step into his spot as the third line center. Kevin Gravel-Alec Martinez The Blues know this is a big one. They are three points up on the Kings Goalie in the race for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference, so that won't change whatever happens, but a regulation win for the Blues would Jonathan Quick extend the lead to five points while a regulation loss would cut it to one. Ben Bishop “Everybody's got to be pulling their weight, no matter what their role is on LONG STRETCH the team,” forward Alexander Steen said. “It's a huge game for us, a huge opportunity to get more of a gap on these guys. We'll be looking to In the second period against the Islanders, Alex Pietrangelo logged a come out determined and hungry and quick.” shift of more than two minutes which included taking a puck off his skate that left him hobbling. Even when the Blues got the puck out of their The Kings figure to do the same thing. zone, Pietrangelo couldn't make it to the bench and had to stay out there. “It's a big game for both clubs,” Steen said. “They've got home ice, I'm The shift finally ended when Tarasenko scored. sure their fans will be behind them. It's going to be an intense and fun “It was my foot,” Pietrangelo said. “I couldn't skate. I wasn't that tired; it game.” was more I couldn't move my foot.” Pietrangelo motioned to his defensive “This has big implications now and going forward,” captain Alex partner that night, Carl Gunnarsson, seated in his stall in the dressing Pietrangelo said. “They're chasing us, we're trying to push ourselves room. “He was doing all the work.” away and catch Nashville. It's going to feel like a playoff atmosphere. Gunnarsson concurred. “You weren't tired,” he said. “I was.” We've got a rivalry with these guys; it's always going to be high intensity.” Despite goal slump, Schwartz sets tone for Blues “We're certainly not trying to understate it, inside our locker room and I know over there they're not,” coach Mike Yeo said. “I think one thing Despite goal slump, Schwartz sets tone for Blues that's important to note for us as a group, there's a reason why this team won two Stanley Cups. It's because in big games they're ready to play, He isn't scoring goals but in still contributing in a big way. they know how to play. I'm excited about the challenge, I think our group SPORTS is too. I know that we have enough character inside our locker room and enough gamers that they're going to be ready to rise up. I also feel Blues Talk: Sound off about the Kings game confident in the game we've been playing. Even through some of the losses we've been building our game at that time and I feel like it's HOCKEY building it in the last four where we have a real good sense of what we have to do, the right habits, to go out and play a real aggressive game.” NHL standings Stastny and Parayko were back in their usual spots, with Stastny St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.14.2017 centering Jaden Schwartz and Vladimir Tarasenko and Parayko playing alongside Joel Edmondson. Parayko said the injury happened in the first period against the Ducks. “It was just a normal, regular hit, you would never notice it,” Parayko said. He played through it in the second period but then the decision was made to keep him out in the third period of that game and then the entire game with the Islanders on Saturday. Lehtera did not travel with the team to California, but this road trip is long enough that he could join them somewhere down the road. “He didn't even come with us,” Yeo said. “We'll get a report on how he's doing; if there's a chance that he can rejoin us, then he'll fly here. Otherwise we'll keep him at home.” LINES Blues Forwards Jaden Schwartz-Paul Stastny-Vladimir Tarasenko Alexander Steen-Patrik Berglund-David Perron Dmitrij Jaskin-Ivan Barbashev-Magnus Paajarvi Scottie Upshall-Kyle Brodziak-Ryan Reaves Defensemen Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo Joel Edmundson-Colton Parayko Carl Gunnarsson-Robert Bortuzzo Goalie 1052758 St Louis Blues The first goal came from Perron, who has been dangerous against the Kings. Last season, he had four goals in six games against the Kings, while having no more than one goal against any other team. The second 'It's huge': Blues earn pivotal win over Kings came Paajarvi on a power play, tipping in a shot by Patrik Berglund 1:10 into the third period to give the Blues a much-needed cushion.

Neither team could take advantage of power plays before the Blues By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch finally broke through with 8:02 to go in the second. Alexander Steen passed to a charging Perron, who slapped the shot into Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, who made the same. But with Quick sprawled on the ice, the puck rolled off the back of his leg and on to the ice. As soon as it LOS ANGELES • The Blues have been a team of streaks since Mike Yeo hit the ice, Perron wedged his stick in and slid the puck into the goal to took over. A six-game win streak turned into a five-game losing streak. make it 1-0. The Blues have started another winning streak and, in as key a game as they've had all season, they kept it going. “I think it's something we have to do more,” Perron said, “using our three in the middle, and Steener was in the perfect spot,. Bergie and I both The Blues got goals from close range by David Perron and Magnus drove the net. I wasn't sure the lane that would be open. I was trying to Paajarvi, the kind of goals they've been looking for all season, before a redirect on the net, and then Quick was on his belly and I was able to get late goal by the Kings and an even later empty-net goal for the Blues ran the rebound.” the team's win streak to five games with a 3-1 win over the Kings at Staples Center on Monday night. The Blues got a power play early in the third period when Jeff Carter was called for holding Tarasenko as he bore in on Quick. On the power play, The Blues and the Kings are the two teams battling for the final playoff Berglund had a shot blocked by Anze Kopitar, but the puck came back to spot in the Western Conference, and the win gave the Blues a five-point him and he shot again, with Paajarvi, standing near the far post, tipping edge over the Kings while keeping them two points behind Nashville in the puck into the upper left corner for his fifth goal of the season and his the race for third in the Central Division. (The Blues are now also two fourth since being returning to the lineup on Feb. 7 after being recalled points behind Edmonton, which currently holds the first wild-card spot.) from Chicago. “You knew they were going to come out hard,” said goalie Jake Allen, “It hit me more than I tried to tip it,” Paajarvi said. “I didn't try to steal it, it whose strong play in net continued, as he stopped 38 of 39 shots and just hit me. It was a good goal. A huge goal.” took a shutout into the final three minutes. “They're chasing us. We didn't expect anything different. They pressed and we got the win. It's a huge Knowing the severity of a loss, the Kings pulled their goalie early and got win for us. If they'd have gotten a point or two points it would have closed a goal back with 2:55 to play on a goal by Dustin Brown, who punched in the gap. Big win.” a rebound in a scramble in front of the goal when Allen couldn't get to the puck. The Kings pulled Quick again to set up a frantic stretch, though “We came through and it was huge,” said forward Magnus Paajarvi, who over the final minute, the Blues had better possession of the puck. tipped in what turned out to be the game-winning goal. Finally, with seven seconds left, Steen scored in an empty net to clinch it. The Blues lost forward Dmitrij Jaskin to an injury in the second period St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.14.2017 when he collided with teammate Robert Bortuzzo. Jaskin left the ice hunched over while being helped by trainer Ray Barile and did not return, with what looked like an injury somewhere in the area of his chest and shoulders. The next update on his condition will probably come at the Blues' Tuesday practice. The win featured what have been two of the recent hallmarks of the team's success: Excellent play in goal and the team scoring first. The Blues have allowed just eight goals in the win streak and along with the shutout win at Colorado have taken a shutout in to the final three minutes two other times. Second, the Blues have scored the first goal in 13 of the 18 games, and had a record of 11-2 in the games they've scored first. They've been playing from ahead or even most of the time, having trailed just 6 minutes, 5 seconds of the past five games. “It's huge because before our streak, we lost a couple in a row, and we lost with one goal," Paajarvi said. "It's huge in close games, especially now at the end of the season. Kudos to everybody and Allen's been great in the net so far. We've got good character right now.” Yeo was asked after the game if this was the biggest game so far. “Up until the next one,” he replied. “Every game is huge, I think both teams understood the significance of this game tonight and it showed in the desperation from both teams. Obviously Jake was outstanding tonight. From top to bottom we had a really strong team effort.” The Blues won't have any games this big for a while. While their next two games in the California part of their five-game trip will be tough, neither the Ducks or the Sharks are competing with the Blues for a playoff spot and it probably won't be until the Blues play Nashville on April 2 that there's a game where the difference between winning and losing is so large. With the win, the Blues went up five points. Had they lost, the margin would have been one. “It's a four-point type of game,” Perron said. “A chance for us to keep our streak going, keep our confidence going and step on them a little bit. Saying that, know they're not going to go away. They're going to battle through 82 games. We wouldn't expect anything unlike that.” For the second game in a row, the Blues started the day with a chance to catch Nashville for third in the Central, if the Predators lost and the Blues won. But Nashville beat Winnipeg in overtime to keep its distance from the Blues. Nashville is off until Thursday, so the Blues would have a chance to catch them with a win at Anaheim on Wednesday. Prior to Jaskin's injury, the Blues were close to being back at full strength, with Paul Stastny (flu) and Colton Parayko (lower back) back in the lineup after missing one game. The only absence was center Jori Lehtera, who was isn't on the trip at the moment after taking a puck to the head last week. 1052759 St Louis Blues Parayko said his injury actually happened in the first period against the Ducks, but he continued to play. “It was just a normal, regular hit, you would never notice it,” Parayko said. Success at even strength tells story With Parayko back, Jordan Schmaltz was a healthy scratch again, along with Zach Sanford and Nail Yakupov. By Tom Timmermann St. Louis Post-Dispatch LONG STRETCH In the second period against the Islanders on Saturday, Pietrangelo and Carl Gunnarsson logged a shift of 2 minutes 8 seconds, which seemed LOS ANGELES • For all the talk about special teams in hockey, about even longer for Pietrangelo after he blocked a puck with his skate and power plays and penalty kills, the vast majority of the game is played at was left hobbling. Even when the Blues got the puck out of their zone, even strength, five on five. When the Blues beat the Islanders on since it was the second period and the Blues had the long change, when Saturday, there were 52 minutes of even-strength hockey, eight minutes the Islanders got the puck back in quickly, Pietrangelo and Gunnarsson with a man advantage. couldn’t make it to the bench and had to stay out there. The shift finally ended when Vladimir Tarasenko scored. That puts an emphasis on how a team plays five-on-five, and there may be no better indicator of how the team is doing than how it is playing at “It was my foot. I couldn’t skate. I wasn’t that tired; it was more I couldn’t even strength. When the Blues pulled off their six-game winning streak, move my foot. I just stood there like this,” he said, waving his arm in a they had 15 even-strength goals to five with a man-advantage. When the circle around his body. “I was tired, but it was my foot. ” Pietrangelo team dropped into its five-game losing streak, it had just three even- motioned to Gunnarsson, seated in his stall in the dressing room. “He strength goals and three from the special teams. was doing all the work.” The pendulum has swung back to strong five-on-five play again for the Gunnarsson concurred. “You weren’t tired,” he said. “I was.” Blues. Going into Monday night’s game with the Kings, 10 of their 13 goals in their four-game winning streak were at even strength and they St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.14.2017 had outscored their opponents 10-6 with no one in the penalty box. “I think the connectiveness, the unity on the lines has been good,” forward Alexander Steen said. “I think (against the Islanders), we did a good job of creating space for each other, getting open for each other. When you do good things like that, you eventually start getting rewarded because you earned it.” It’s not something that falls entirely on the forwards. The defensemen play a role in it, too. “I think as D we’re getting pucks to the net and the forwards are getting to the net,” defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “You look at the goals we’re scoring now, a lot are around the net. That was our biggest downfall for about a week or so, where we were playing on the outside. Now that we’re getting back on the inside, we’re having more success. It’s a responsibilty for the D too.” “We’re getting there,” coach Mike Yeo said. “We talked about it a while back. We were losing some games, not getting production, in particualr from our top guys. Look at what our top guys have been doing lately. They’ve been scoring goals. Most importantly the way they’re doing it has been within concepts we want to bring as a group and they’re really feeding our game right now. Everyeone has a real purpose and role in the job they’re doing.” Steen points to an improvement in the team’s consistency since the coaching change. “I think consistency in general has been missing this year,” he said. “I don’t think you can read too much into the losing streak we had after the break. It’s a little bit of a different beast, you don’t leave at the same time as the other teams, you come back and play a team that’s in the middle of a playing week. It took us a couple games to get back in the rhythm of things. I like the consistent play we’ve had since Mike took over. I think he’s been very detailed, determined in what he wants out of the group and what he wants out of individuals.” MEDICAL REPORT The Blues got center Paul Stastny (flu) and defenseman Colton Parayko (lower body) back after one-game absences, but they didn’t have third- line center Jori Lehtera and may not have him for a while. Lehtera took a puck to the head as teammate Joel Edmundson tried to pass it up ice in the third period against Anaheim and fell to the ice, where he was motionless for a while before getting up and going to the dressing room. He was well enough that by the end of the game, he was back on the bench, though he never returned to the game. Though the Blues haven’t identified Lehtera’s injury, it’s clear he took a hit in the head. Lehtera missed four games earlier this season with a concussion, as well as having a concussion earlier in his time with the Blues. Lehtera did not travel with the team to California, but this road trip is long enough that he could join them somewhere down the road. “He didn’t even come with us,” Yeo said. “We’ll get a report on how he’s doing; if there’s a chance that he can rejoin us, then he’ll fly here. Otherwise we’ll keep him at home.” 1052760 Tampa Bay Lightning

Namestnikov feels 'lucky' injury wasn't serious

Joe Smith, Monday, March 13, 2017 12:26PM

Four days ago, Lightning center Vladislav Namestnikov had to be helped off the Amalie Arena with what appeared to be a serious leg injury. But here was Namestnikov Monday, participating in the morning skate at Madison Square Garden, and a possibility to play tonight against the Rangers, per coach Jon Cooper. Namestnikov said he feels better, that he just got tangled up with Wild's Zach Parise near the boards Thursday. "I got lucky," Namestnikov said. "It could have been worse." While Namestnikov could return, neither Tyler Johnson nor Cedric Paquette will play tonight, Cooper said. Both also suffered lower body injuries Thursday. Cooper said Johnson is on the trip, which ends Tuesday in Ottawa, but Paquette is not. NEW GUY: It's been a whirlwind few weeks for center Byron Froese, who was acquired from the Maple Leafs in the Brian Boyle trade Feb. 29. Froese was recalled today, joining the Lightning skate and there's a "good chance" he'll make his Tampa Bay debut tonight, Cooper said. Froese, a 6-foot right-shot center, was sidelined with an oblique the past few weeks before finally playing a couple games with the Crunch. "I'm excited to get out there and play," he said. "It's been a long three weeks." Froese was the AHL Toronto Marlies leading scorer (24 goals, 15 assists) when he got traded. "I was shocked," Froese said. "Definitely excited for a fresh opportunity." Froese centered the third line in the skate, along with Namestnikov and Adam Erne; he was also on the second power play unit. Coach Jon Cooper said he's liked Froese since watching him with the Leafs in 2015- 16, when he played 56 games. "He's got a lot of NHL attributes, especially his shot," Cooper said. "Watching him shoot the puck, that was really encouraging. He's definitely somebody that now we really need." BUDAJ TIME: Veteran backup Peter Budaj will make his second Lightning start tonight. While starter Andrei Vasilevskiy is on a roll, going 5-0-1 in six starts since taking over for Bishop, Cooper said he wants to keep him in that groove. And with four games in six nights, the Lightning doesn't want to overwork him, like it might have during his nine-start stretch when Bishop got hurt in December. "We've had a lot of success with Vasy," Cooper said. "And playing him every third day, he's played really well. When he went through this stretch of playing back-to-backs in December, I just don't know if it was too much, too soon either we weren't good in front of him or he wasn't at the top of his game. "Our No. 1 goal is to make the playoffs, but still our goaltender is young and developing. We've got him in a really good grove here, there's no sense in breaking that groove. There's a lot of games he still has to play." Budaj played well in his first start with Tampa Bay, stopping 30 of 34 shots against Pittsburgh Mar. 3. He is 4-1-0 in five career starts against the Rangers with a 2.58 goals against average. MORE NOTES: C Steven Stamkos (knee surgery) once again skated before the team's skate and was a limited participant in the team workout... RW Ryan Callahan (hip) is on the trip, but not participating.. Lines were Palat-Point-Kucherov/Killorn-Drouin-Gourde/Erne-Froese- Namestnikov/Brown-Dumont-Witkowski. Cooper said RW Nikita Kucherov would definitely be the Lightning's "Hart Trophy candidate" for MVP. "We've jumped on his back." Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052761 Tampa Bay Lightning

Maple Leafs selling ticket price hike as good news for fans

By MORGAN CAMPBELL

Maple Leafs season-ticket renewals start Monday, and they’ll cost more than they did last season. But Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment insists it’s raising prices to protect consumers and make more tickets available. When the company’s analytics team tackled the secondary ticket market, it found that many single-game Leafs tickets sold via brokers and scalpers for nearly twice their face value. The markup represents a fat profit for resellers, and a hefty incentive to stay in business. Next season, season-ticket prices will rise by between $7 and $16 per ticket per game, but MLSE chief commercial officer David Hopkinson says the increase won’t affect the final price on the secondary market, where brokers resell the season seats they purchase. Instead, he says, raising the retail price with shrink resellers’ profit margins. Hopkinson says fewer brokers in business means more tickets for fans. “If we don’t price the tickets appropriately versus what the market is going to pay for them, guess what happens,” Hopkinson says. “The tickets don’t get cheaper. Just other guys make the money . . . and that doesn’t help your hockey team. That doesn’t help us get better.” The new prices are among several changes to the Leafs’ season-ticket routine. Hopkinson says the club is also transitioning from simply selling season tickets to making those seats part of a membership package for big- spending, diehard fans. The Ultimate Fighting Championship uses a similar model, enrolling fans in its Fight Club program, then allowing them to buy pre-sale tickets to its live events. Hopkinson adds that membership programs are gaining popularity in team sports, and that the Leafs plan to use theirs to offer full-season tickets and multi-game packages, as well as membership rewards. The team also says season-ticket memberships will function the way gym memberships do, with a 12-month billing cycle and automatic renewals. Previously, season-ticket purchases were billed over eight months. Hopkinson says the membership model also helps discourage scalpers, who are interested only in tickets. While the Leafs acknowledge that most single-game seats are bought and sold on the secondary market, they note that the biggest markups occur on the least expensive seats. Where upper-bowl seats average $80 per game as part of season packages, they average $108 as single- game seats and $141 on the secondary market. Lower-bowl seats, meanwhile, average $195 under a season-ticket package, $234 at the box office and $250 resale. “There is a significant arbitrage here that we’ve got to try and close,” Hopkinson said. “Someone’s going to end up with the money, and we’d rather it’s not a guy in a parka.” The team doesn’t expect the price increases to dampen renewal rates, and projects that 99.6 per cent of season-ticket subscribers will re-up. Hopkinson says most of the people terminating their subscriptions are brokers who find flipping tickets isn’t as profitable as it once was. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052762 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning's Vladislav Namestnikov makes quick return from injury

Joe Smith, Monday, March 13, 2017 9:37PM

NEW YORK — Just four days earlier, Lightning C Vladislav Namestnikov had to be helped off the ice at Amalie Arena with what looked like a serious left leg injury. But here was Namestnikov on Monday, back in the lineup in a victory over the Rangers after missing just one game with a lower-body injury. He feared the worst when he got tangled up with the Wild's Zach Parise on Thursday. "I got lucky," Namestnikov said. "It could have been more serious." Namestnikov didn't play in the third period Monday; coach Jon Cooper said he re-aggravated the injury. Tyler Johnson and Cedric Paquette did not play Monday. Both also suffered lower body injuries Thursday. New guy It's been a whirlwind few weeks for C Byron Froese, who was acquired from the Maple Leafs in the Brian Boyle trade Feb. 29. Froese was recalled Monday, making his Tampa Bay debut against the Rangers. Froese, a 6-foot right shot, was the AHL Toronto Marlies' leading scorer (24 goals, 15 assists) when he got dealt. "I was shocked," Froese said. "Definitely excited for a fresh opportunity." Froese centered the third line, along with Namestnikov and Adam Erne; he was also on the second power play unit during the skate. Cooper said he has liked Froese since watching him with the Leafs in 2015-16, when he played 56 games. "He's got a lot of NHL attributes, especially his shot," Cooper said. "Watching him shoot the puck, that was really encouraging. He's definitely somebody that now we really need." Why Budaj? While Andrei Vasilevskiy has been on a roll lately, veteran backup Peter Budaj got the start Monday. Cooper wanted to make sure Vasilevskiy kept his groove, 5-0-1 since the Ben Bishop trade. And with a back-to-back situation, four games in six nights, Cooper didn't want to overwork Vasilevskiy, admitting the team might have during a nine-game stretch in December/January when Bishop got hurt. "We've had a lot of success with Vasy," Cooper said. "And playing him every third day, he's played really well. When he went through this stretch of playing back-to-backs in December, I just don't know if it was too much, too soon, either we weren't good in front of him or he wasn't at the top of his game. "Our No. 1 goal is to make the playoffs, but still our goaltender is young and developing. We've got him in a really good groove here, there's no sense in breaking that groove. There's a lot of games he still has to play." Quote of the day "He's definitely our Hart Trophy (MVP) candidate. We've jumped on his back." Coach Jon Cooper on RW Nikita Kucherov. Slap shots • Injured captain Steven Stamkos is on the road trip and was a limited participant in the team's morning skate. RW Ryan Callahan (hip surgery) is also traveling with the team. • Rookie Brayden Point turned 21 Monday and scored twice in the win. Who would have thought in October he'd be the No. 1 center in March? Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052763 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto Maple Leafs at Florida Panthers: Tuesday NHL preview

By MARK ZWOLINSKI

BB&T CENTER FACEOFF: 7:30 p.m. TV: TSN4 RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN KEY MATCHUP Pysyk/Matthews Mark Pysyk has been a key factor on the Panthers’ defence, especially on the club’s top-rated penalty kill. He averages 2:49 of ice time per game when the Panthers are short-handed, most on the team, and will likely see a lot of the Leafs’ top forwards. Toronto’s power play ranks second in the NHL, and overall the Leafs sit sixth in goals per game (3.03). Rookie sensation Auston Matthews, goal-less in his last five games, is due. NEED TO KNOW The Panthers have lost five straight and eight of nine, dousing their playoff hopes. … Injuries have taken a huge toll. They lost all-star defenceman Aaron Ekblad to a concussion over the weekend, while goalie Roberto Luongo has missed a week so far with an undisclosed injury. Luongo, who might return some time this week, sits two wins shy of surpassing former Leaf Curtis Joseph for fourth on the NHL’s career wins list. . . . Ex-Leaf James Reimer is likely to get the start Tuesday against his old team. He’s lost his last seven starts. … Florida has been getting a lot of mileage out of defenceman Jason Demers, who took 36 shifts for 25:43 of ice time in Saturday’s loss to Tampa. …. At age 45, Panthers forward Jaromir Jagr is four games away from 1,700 in his storied career. UP NEXT Thursday at Tampa, 7:30 p.m. Toronto Star LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052764 Toronto Maple Leafs “I really believe in practising hard and giving everything you’ve got in practice. Morning skates, you’re rarely like that. I hate to see our players not go 100 per cent and giving everything they’ve got. Morning skates Leafs’ Matthews hits Florida in cold snap are something in between. I hate in between.” And yet the Senators remain a team that has kept the morning skate ritual. Elsewhere, the skate — that is, an early 20-minute practice on the By KEVIN MCGRAN day of a game — is becoming less common. As teams get closer to the playoffs, mandatory morning skates frequently become optional. And through the post-season they morph into little more than video review meetings. SUNRISE, FLA.—If anyone is worried that Auston Matthews is in a bit of a slump, with no points in his past five games, it isn’t the rookie himself or But teams including Columbus and the New York Rangers have pretty even Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock. much disposed of morning skates all year, while others cut back drastically a lot sooner than usual. “Well, I noticed (Alex Ovechkin) didn’t have a goal in 10 games. I don’t think they’re worried about Ovie. I’m not going to spend too much time “I know it’s good for the athletes,” said Blue Jackets coach John worrying about Auston,” said Babcock. Tortorella, who pioneered the nixing of morning skates when he was with the New York Rangers. “Our strength coaches know it’s good for the “Auston wants to score every game. He plays hard, he’s competitive. His athletes. It’s just getting the athletes out of that routine they were so used line did a good job in Carolina (a 3-2 overtime win by the Leafs on to. Saturday night). There was no room at all.” “It was a little funky at first. I think our guys like it. In the long run, in the Matthews sat in his stall after practice Monday at the BB&T Center — big picture, it’s really good for them.” home of Tuesday night’s opponent, the Florida Panthers — knowing the questions were coming. He was, after all, sitting beside season-long The Maple Leafs have fewer morning skates than in the past, usually linemate Zach Hyman, who had just been grilled about Matthews’ slump. only after a day off. “It’s just about doing the right things, getting to the net, scoring a dirty “It’s more mental than anything, not a superstition. It’s all personal,” said one,” Hyman said of Matthews. “Once you get one, they seem to come in Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly. bunches. Just play well, play well defensively. The offence will come. “I think they’re good, but I think they’ll depend on the situation,” added “He’s mature for his age and he handles it well. He’s a great player. The winger Zach Hyman. “Last year on the Marlies, we had mostly optional puck is going to go into the net for him.” morning skates. It depends how our body is feeling, depends how you’re feeling in the morning. Some guys like to skate in the morning out of Five games without a point ties his longest drought of the year — the habit. For me, it’s how I’m feeling.” beginning of a stretch of 13 games without a goal, starting in late October. The Maple Leafs were among the originals when the morning ritual was introduced in the 1940s, as a means to check equipment after long train “There are things I can tweak,” said Matthews. “As an offensive player, rides. It wasn’t long before coaches used it as a tool to make sure you want to produce, you want to score goals and help the team win, and players didn’t stay out late the night before a game. right now we’re winning. For me, that’s the most important part. “I like them, personally,” said Ottawa defenceman Dion Phaneuf. “A lot of “You want to get back on the scoresheet, help the team out whatever guys don’t like them. I think it’s totally personal preference. I started in a way you can.” time when the morning skate was routine. There is nothing particularly wrong with his game. He’s getting his usual “I enjoy skating, I like getting out there, stretching and loosening up. 17 to 19 minutes of ice time. He’s taking shots. Power-play time has There’s still value in it.” been at a premium because the opposition has been playing disciplined hockey against the Leafs, the league’s best with the man advantage. The skate is its own mini-industry now, with media using the early access to prepare stories for the web, print, TV and radio, while the league “I just want to play hockey and have fun,” said Matthews. benefits from the built-in hype. Connor Brown worked out on the right side with Matthews and Hyman on Taylor Hall’s New Jersey Devils still adhere to the regular morning skate, Monday. Babcock routinely flips Brown and William Nylander on that line. to his chagrin. “What I like about Brown with Hyman and Matthews together is they can “If I had to choose, I’d stay home and not even come to the rink in the play against anybody,” said Babcock. “No matter who they match up morning,” said Hall. “I think hockey players now, even as opposed to 10 against, they’re going to play a ton of time in the offensive zone. or 15 years ago, everyone is so dialed in — nutrition-wise and training — Nylander and Matthews play more on the rush when they’re together. and the game is so fast, so taxing to your body. I think to come to the rink With Brown, they’re more on the cycle.” in the morning and to drive home and come back again at night, it takes It doesn’t make a difference to Matthews. a bit too much of a toll, but I do it. And you get into a routine doing it (but) if I had my choice, I’d stay home and sleep till 9:30 and go for a walk.” “I’m a shooter either way,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who I play with. They’re both different players, but they both make plays. They’re both EAST COASTING: Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen has enjoyed life in really strong on the puck. They bring different things to the line, but the Eastern Conference, with a better road schedule than he was used to they’re all positive.” with the Anaheim Ducks. “Definitely, the travel has been easier. . . . You sleep in your own bed a lot more than you do on the West Coast. I’ve The Leafs have strung together a three-game win streak in large part been liking it a lot. Flights are an hour, an hour and a half, and being because of their scoring depth. They can live with one line getting home in your own bed sometimes before midnight, that’s pretty nice. blanked because they have scorers all through the lineup. With the Ducks, you’d have longer road trips and come home the next day. In particular, the unit with Tyler Bozak — who didn’t practise Monday but is expected to face the Panthers — flanked by James van Riemsdyk and YOUNG DOGS: The Arizona Coyotes will miss the playoffs for the fifth Mitch Marner has been on fire lately, after struggling through most of season, but general manager John Chayka says the team is on the right February. Van Riemsdyk just emerged from a 14-game goal-less path. They are one of the youngest teams in the NHL, having used nine drought, notching two goals and two assists over his last three games. rookies this season. “We wanted to get better and better, and I think over the last 20 games we’ve been a real competitive team that can win any The subtle demise of the morning skate ritual is cool with some players night,” he told USA Today. “The younger guys took longer than we and coaches, while Dion Phaneuf and others still see the benefits. hoped, but not longer than we expected.” Leafs Austin Matthews scrambles for a loose puck at a pre-season BOLT OUT OF THE BLUE: At 25 years old and undrafted, Yanni Gourde practice. The morning skate, or game-day mini-practice, is less of a scored his first NHL goal over the weekend. The ECHL graduate, who fixture in the routine of the average NHL club these days. studied civil engineering in case hockey didn’t work out, is one of six Hockey’s morning skate may never be extinct — the sport doesn’t part rookies playing a key role in the Lightning’s fight for a playoff spot. “He’s ways with its traditions easily — but it certainly is on the endangered list. seizing his moment,” said coach Jon Cooper. “I hate them with a passion,” says Ottawa Senators coach Guy Boucher. PARADISE ISLE: The New York Islanders were thrilled to return home “To me, they are a waste of energy and waste of time. from a nine-game road trip — the longest in team history — with a 5-3-1 record that kept them in the Eastern race. Goalie Thomas Greiss started all nine games, but was yanked three times. “We’ve gained some confidence on the road as a team,” coach Doug Weight told New York Newsday. “I think playing on the road, the style we have to play, we’ve played a lot of different teams with different elements.” THE LONGEST GAME: Joakim Jensen scored with 2:46 remaining in the 11th period and Storhamar defeated Sparta Warriors 2-1 in an eight- overtime game in on Sunday. It went on for roughly 8 ½ hours, the longest hockey game ever played according to NHL.com — 217 minutes and 14 seconds of play. The previous record was set by the Detroit Red Wings and Montreal Maroons in 1936 (176 minutes, 30 seconds). STARS DUST: The Dallas Stars are headed for a playoff miss and lead the league in some dubious categories: They’ve used two goalies in the same game 12 times, allowed 11 short-handed goals, own the league’s worst save percentage, allowed the most power-play goals and have the worst penalty-killing rate. “It’s embarrassing,” captain Jamie Benn told the Dallas News. “It’s hard to put into words. If you’re going to play like that and have those numbers, you’re not going to get too far.” BY THE NUMBERS: The Stanley Cup turns 125 on Saturday. ... The Ottawa Senators have six wins in six games since acquiring Alexandre Burrows from the Vancouver Canucks. Burrows has six points in those games. . . . Chicago’s Patrick Kane hit the 30-goal mark for the third time. . . . Rangers centre Derek Stepan ended a 23-game goal drought Sunday. “He’s obviously one of the guys that has been around for a while here,” Matthews said of van Riemsdyk. “You can pick his brain. He’s been through it all. When he’s going and that line is going, I like our odds.” The Leafs would appear to be masters of their own destiny at this point, with 15 games to go and a post-season berth within their grasp. “It would be huge for all of us,” said Matthews. “It’s been the goal for us the whole year. It’s what we’re aiming for. We set the bar at that expectation. Hopefully we can surpass it. “Right now, we know we’re in a good position. It’s a tight race, what we want to be in. You live for these moments.” Toronto Star LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052765 Toronto Maple Leafs While on the subject of sidelined players, the Panthers likely will be without stud defenceman Aaron Ekblad against the Leafs. Ekblad suffered a concussion during the Panthers 3-2 loss to the Lightning Maple Leafs' individual stats taking backseat to playoff push Saturday. "You never want to see that happen to anyone," said Matthews, who was teammates with Ekblad during the World Cup last September. "He is BY MIKE ZEISBERGER, TORONTO SUN such a great guy." Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.14.2017 SUNRISE, Fla. — In order to diffuse any over-the-top fretting surrounding the five-game pointless streak of Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews, coach Mike Babcock points to the dry spell of a far more established NHL superstar to offer some perspective. "I was watching NHL On The Fly — they didn't talk about the Leafs, which was good — and I noticed Ovi didn't have (a goal) in 10 (games)," Babcock said of Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin. "I don't think they're worried about Ovi so I'm not going to spend too much time (doing it about Auston). "Auston wants to score every game. He plays hard. He's competitive. I thought his entire line did a good job in Carolina the other night. There was no room out there. As a fan or broadcaster you might not like it but I thought it was a thing of beauty." Babcock was referring to Toronto's 3-2 overtime victory over the Hurricanes on Saturday, the Leafs' third consecutive win. And when it comes down to the numbers game, the most important statistic for both Babcock and Matthews is number of wins, not points. Both Connor Brown and William Nylander have spent chunks of the season yo-yoing as the third member of the unit anchored by Matthews and Zach Hyman. During Monday's practice at the BT&T Center, Brown held down the third spot. "What I like about Hyman and Auston and Brownie together is that they can play against anyone," Babcock said. "And no matter who they play against they are going to spend a lot of time in the O-zone. Willie and Auston play more off the rush together while these guys play more on the cycle." The Leafs will be gunning for their fourth consecutive win when they meet the struggling Florida Panthers here on Tuesday in a battle of teams heading in opposite directions. While the Leafs have snapped up seven of a possible 10 points in their past five games, the Panthers have dropped four straight and now find themselves seven points behind Toronto, which held the second eastern conference wild card spot entering play Monday. And while he continues to lead the team in scoring with 55 points, just one ahead of fellow rookie Mitch Marner, Matthews couldn't care less about his personal stats as long as his team continues to accrue points in its bid for the franchise's second playoff appearance in 13 years. "I think there are things (our line) can tweak but as an offensive player you want to gather points and help the team win. And right now, we're winning," Matthews said. "For me that's the most important part. "Sure, you want to get back on the scoresheet and help but the most important thing is getting two points every night." There understandably has been speculation that Matthews might be feeling the effects of the lengthy NHL season. It's a legitimate question to ask since the Swiss League, where he played for Zurich last season, has a shorter schedule. "It's a little different, yeah," he said. "There's only 12 or 15 teams and eight teams go (to the playoffs) so unless you were in positions seven through 11 you weren't stressing too much. Here, we're in a good position in a tight race so you kind of look for these moments." Asked what making the post-season would mean for a team sporting so many kids, Matthews replied: "It would be huge for all of us. It's been the goal we've had all year and it hasn't really changed. We set the bar of expectations and we hope to meet it, if not pass it." Meanwhile, a familiar face returned to practice on Monday. Out with an upper-body ailment since absorbing a crunching hit from Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault on Feb. 21, defenceman Connor Carrick wore a huge smile after being out with his teammates for the 45-minute workout. But Babcock warned that Carrick is "still a ways away," noting the young blueliner did not take part in any contact drills. "It was just nice to be back," Carrick said. "It's tough sitting and watching." 1052766 Toronto Maple Leafs cast for awards last year, 69 came from reporters covering teams in the Eastern Conference — where the Toronto chapter is one of the largest — 57 came from the Western Conference, and 43 were from at-large Calder Trophy debate: Will East Coast bias hurt or help Auston voters, many of whom reside in Toronto. Matthews? In the last 10 years, the vote was split right down the middle, with 25 of the 50 total winners coming out of each conference. None came out of Toronto. In fact, aside from a Lady Byng Trophy in 2003 and a Selke BY MICHAEL TRAIKOS, FIRST POSTED: MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017 Trophy in 1993, Toronto players have been shut out from the major awards.

Of course, it’s not without effort. With four daily newspapers in Toronto, TORONTO — The question did not mention Auston Matthews, Patrik compared with two in Winnipeg, Matthews gets written about and talked Laine or the whole Calder Trophy debate. about more than any other rookie. There was nothing said about whether playing in Toronto, rather than While most of the press is justified, there are times when it goes Winnipeg, helped or hurt a player’s popularity. overboard. The words “Eastern Conference bias” were not uttered at any point. During TSN’s trade deadline broadcast, Toronto-based analyst Jeff O’Neill, who played for the Leafs, said he wouldn’t trade Matthews for Mike Babcock was simply asked if he felt any animosity from his Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. coaching fraternity for being in the quote-unquote, “centre of the hockey universe.” That’s not to say that Laine has been ignored. “I can’t think of one thing that would be bad about playing in Toronto “Laine’s play really speaks for itself,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told except if the team’s bad,” said the Maple Leafs head coach, who a week Postmedia at last week’s GM meetings. “It’s not a media blitz or a media earlier had been name-dropped by Jets head coach Paul Maurice for campaign or anything like that. You do see the fact that he’s 18 years old spinning losses as life lessons. and one of the youngest players in the National Hockey League right now and doing the things that he does with a very young hockey team.” “I guess if you want to play where they don’t know about hockey, then go and play somewhere else. But to me, if you want to play in the best The thing to remember is that this is not a case of one player being hockey market in the world this is where you want to be. I think it’s artificially propped up. Matthews and Laine are very much equals. Even if fantastic.” Matthews were playing in Arizona, he would be in the Calder conversation — although it is worth mentioning that had 19-year-old As Babcock spoke, you could picture fans in Vancouver rolling their eyes. defenceman Zach Werenski (nine goals, 41 points) been playing in Toronto may or may not be the best hockey market in the world, but it’s Toronto versus Columbus, the debate would be a lot more interesting. certainly the biggest. There’s strength in numbers, with more reporters “It just happens that (Matthews) is in a market that lives and breathes the covering the sport here than in any other place in the NHL. Because of team,” said Postmedia reporter Kristen Odland, who covers the Calgary that, the daily plight of the team’s seventh defenceman often receives Flames. “If anything, it helps his bid because there are a million more more attention than star forwards in some other markets. stories and coverage on him and I really don't think they are blown out of So when there is a genuinely good player to talk about, such as proportion or over-exaggerated. He's really that good.” Matthews or Mitch Marner or William Nylander, the rest of the world Laine has been just as good, if not better. But that might not be enough. hears about them. Ad nauseam. It took scoring 50— along with a highlight-reel goal scored while sliding But does that help Matthews’ chances of beating Laine for the Calder on his back — for Alex Ovechkin to edge Sidney Crosby for the Calder Trophy? Or might it actually hurt him? back in 2006. “I am a little sick of hearing about him,” Postmedia hockey reporter Jim For Laine to pull ahead of Matthews, he might have to do something Matheson, who covers the Edmonton Oilers, said in an email. “But I think equally extraordinary. people in Toronto are trying too hard to inform us how special he is.” “The race is neck and neck to me,” Postmedia hockey reporter Ken “Look, you can't escape the Toronto hype machine,” wrote Ottawa-based Wiebe, who covers the Jets, wrote in a direct message on Twitter. “I don't Postmedia hockey columnist Bruce Garrioch in a direct message on think playing in Winnipeg has prevented people in other markets from Twitter. “That's just the reality of Matthews being in a big market. But the knowing who Patrik Laine is or how good he is, to be honest … To me, amount of press a guy gets won't have any weight in how I fill out the two excellent players and the final 14-16 games will determine who wins ballot box.” the award. It's a great race and both players should be celebrated.” “I do think Toronto writers have gone completely nuts, but I don't really Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.14.2017 blame them, given what they've had to watch the last decade,” said Jason Brough, a Vancouver-based writer for NBC’s ProHockey Talk. “At any rate, it won't affect my vote one way or the other. Laine gets plenty of attention himself.” When comparing Matthews to Laine, there are a number of things to consider. The obvious one is production. Laine leads all rookies with 32 goals and 59 points heading into Monday night's games. He is tied for third in the Rocket Richard Trophy race, has scored three hat tricks and five game- winners. When he scores, the team is 17-3-3. Matthews is ranked second among rookies with 31 goals and 55 points. He scored four times in his NHL debut, has six game-winners and leads the league in even-strength goals heading into Monday's games. But it’s not just about goals and points. Is it more impressive that Matthews is a centre, seeing as Laine plays on the wing? Is Matthews at an advantage because he is seven months older? Is he at a disadvantage because he’s on a line with rookies? Does being on a playoff team matter? Somewhere on the list is geography. Despite Ilya Bryzgalov’s claims about Winnipeg, it is not actually more difficult to play there. But is it more difficult to get recognized? The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association votes on the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng Trophies. Of the 169 votes that the PHWA 1052767 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs know fans will pay up

BY MIKE ZEISBERGER, TORONTO SUN

SUNRISE, Fla. — That the Maple Leafs are raising season ticket prices should not come as a surprise. Given their history of doing it, it’s almost become a tradition. But the logic being used to justify the increases, well, it didn’t take long for the critics on traditional and social media to start ripping it. The rationale being given to the public from the organization is that the prices on secondary market tickets won’t increase – whether it be scalpers, web outfits, etc. — resulting in less profits for them. The Leafs conclude that such a move could result in more ducats being available on the open market. Raising your ticket prices so they’re closer to the ones being fetched on the secondary market? Isn’t that putting the cart in front of the horse? Whatever the case, we do know this — as long as this young team with so much potential keeps winning and entertaining at the same time, people will pay whatever is asked. And you can bet the Leafs know it, too. CONNER’S COMEBACK According to Leafs coach Mike Babcock, Connor Carrick is still “a ways away” from returning to game action. And no, Carrick did not take part in any contact drills when the Leafs held a practice Monday in Sunrise. But that didn’t stop him from wearing a huge grin on his face. Out with an upper body ailment since absorbing a crunching hit from Winnipeg Jets forward Mathieu Perreault on Feb. 21, Carrick was understandably upbeat after finally being back out on the ice with his teammates for the 45-minute workout. “It was just nice to be back,” Carrick said. “It’as tough sitting and watching. It’s no fun. You want to be out going to war with those guys.” Asked if being out three weeks feels more like a couple of months, Carrick replied: “Yeah, for sure. At the same time, in the past week it’s gotten much better. It’s really impressive on how far it’s come since Week 1.” THE YO-YO BOYS Both Connor Brown and William Nylander have spent chunks of the season yo-yoing as the third member of the line anchored by Auston Matthews and Zach Hyman. During Monday’s practice at the BT&T Center, it was Brown who received the nod to play on that line. “What I like about Hyman and Auston and Brownie together is that they can play against anyone,” Babcock said. “And no matter who they play against they are going to spend a lot of time in the O-zone. “Willie and Auston play more off the rush together while these guys play more on the cycle.” CROSS CHECKS Banged-up centre Tyler Bozak was excused from practice as part of a maintenance day, a regular occurance of late ... The Florida Panthers, Toronto’s opposition Tuesday, have dropped three consecutive decisions on home ice, dropping their record at the BB&T Centre to 15-16-3 ... The Panthers Monday called up D MacKenzie Weeger from their Springfield farm team in the American Hockey League ... D Jakub Kindl is expected to be in the Panthers lineup, replacing the injured Aaron Ekblad. Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052768 Toronto Maple Leafs 57 came from the Western Conference, and 43 were from at-large voters, many of whom reside in Toronto.

In the last 10 years, the vote was split right down the middle, with 25 of The Toronto effect: Does playing for the Maple Leafs help or hurt Auston the 50 total winners coming out of each conference. None came out of Matthews’ Calder Trophy candidacy? Toronto. In fact, aside from a Lady Byng Trophy in 2003 and a Selke Trophy in 1993, Toronto players have been shut out from the major awards. Michael Traikos | March 13, 2017 3:48 PM ET Of course, it’s not without effort. With four daily newspapers in Toronto, compared with two in Winnipeg, Matthews gets written about and talked about more than any other rookie. While most of the press is justified, TORONTO — The question did not make mention of Auston Matthews, there are times when it goes overboard. During TSN’s trade deadline Patrik Laine or the whole Calder Trophy debate. There was nothing said broadcast, Toronto-based analyst Jeff O’Neill, who played for the Leafs, about whether playing in Toronto, rather than Winnipeg, helped or hurt a said he wouldn’t trade Matthews for Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. player’s popularity. The words “Eastern Conference bias” were not uttered at any point. That’s not to say that Laine has been ignored. Mike Babcock was simply asked if he felt any animosity from his “Laine’s play really speaks for itself,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told coaching fraternity for being in the quote-unquote, “centre of the hockey Postmedia at last week’s GM meetings. “It’s not a media blitz or a media universe.” campaign or anything like that. You do see the fact that he’s 18 years old and one of the youngest players in the National Hockey League right now “I can’t think of one thing that would be bad about playing in Toronto and doing the things that he does with a very young hockey team.” except if the team’s bad,” said the Maple Leafs head coach, who a week earlier had been name-dropped by Jets head coach Paul Maurice for The thing to remember is that this is not a case of one player being spinning losses as life lessons. “I guess if you want to play where they artificially propped up. Matthews and Laine are very much equals. Even if don’t know about hockey, then go and play somewhere else. But to me, if Matthews were playing in Arizona, he would be in the Calder you want to play in the best hockey market in the world, this is where you conversation — although it is worth mentioning that had 19-year-old want to be. I think it’s fantastic.” defenceman Zach Werenski (nine goals, 41 points) been playing in Toronto versus Columbus, the debate would be a lot more interesting. As Babcock spoke, you could picture the city of Vancouver collectively rolling its eyes. “It just happens that (Matthews) is in a market that lives and breathes the team,” said Postmedia reporter Kristen Odland, who covers the Calgary Toronto may or may not be the best hockey market in the world, but it’s Flames. “If anything, it helps his bid because there are a million more certainly the biggest. There’s strength in numbers, with more reporters stories and coverage on him and I really don’t think they are blown out of covering the sport here than in any other place in the NHL. Because of proportion or over-exaggerated. He’s really that good.” that, the daily plight of the team’s seventh defenceman often receives more attention than star forwards in some other markets. Laine has been just as good, if not better. But that might not be enough. It took scoring 50 — including a highlight-reel goal scored while sliding on So when there is a genuinely good player to talk about, such as his back — for Alex Ovechkin to edge Sidney Crosby for the Calder Matthews or Mitch Marner or William Nylander, the rest of the world Trophy. hears about them. Ad nauseam. But does that help Matthews’ chances of beating Laine for the Calder Trophy? Or might it actually hurt him? For Laine to pull ahead of Matthews, he might have to do something equally extraordinary. “I am a little sick of hearing about him,” Postmedia hockey reporter Jim Matheson, who covers the Edmonton Oilers, said in an email. “But I think “The race is neck and neck to me,” Postmedia hockey reporter Ken people in Toronto are trying too hard to inform us how special he is.” Wiebe, who covers the Jets, wrote in a direct message on Twitter. “I don’t think playing in Winnipeg has prevented people in other markets from “Look, you can’t escape the Toronto hype machine,” Ottawa-based knowing who Patrik Laine is or how good he is, to be honest … To me, Postmedia hockey columnist Bruce Garrioch wrote in a direct message two excellent players and the final 14-16 games will determine who wins on Twitter. “That’s just the reality of Matthews being in a big market. But the award. It’s a great race and both players should be celebrated.” the amount of press a guy gets won’t have any weight in how I fill out the ballot box.” National Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 “I do think Toronto writers have gone completely nuts, but I don’t really blame them, given what they’ve had to watch the last decade,” said Jason Brough, a Vancouver-based writer for NBC’s ProHockey Talk. “At any rate, it won’t affect my vote one way or the other. Laine gets plenty of attention himself.” When comparing Matthews to Laine, there are a number of things to consider. The obvious one is production. Laine leads all rookies with 32 goals and 59 points, heading into Monday night’s games. He is tied for third in the Rocket Richard Trophy race and has scored three hat trick and five game-winners. When he scores, the Jets are 17-3-3. Matthews is second in rookie scoring with 31 goals and 55 points. He scored four times in his NHL debut, has six game-winners and leads the league in even-strength goals heading into Monday’s games. But it’s not just about goals and points. Is it more impressive that Matthews is a centre while Laine plays on the wing? Is Matthews at an advantage because he is seven months older? Is he at a disadvantage because he’s on a line with rookies? Does being on a playoff team matter? Somewhere on the list is geography. Despite Ilya Bryzgalov’s claims about Winnipeg, it is not actually more difficult to play there. But is it more difficult to get recognized? ‘Spectacular without being spectacular’: Auston Matthews takes hockey world by storm in rookie season The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association votes on the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng Trophies. Of the 169 votes that the PHWA cast for awards last year, 69 came from reporters covering teams in the Eastern Conference — where the Toronto chapter is one of the largest — 1052769 Toronto Maple Leafs “Brian knows what his role is and he’s always made the most of it,” Lamoriello says. “We needed to improve our fourth line and we did that. We also brought in character at the same time.” Life and death: Toronto Maple Leafs’ Brian Boyle has seen plenty of both In the end, the character that Brian Boyle offers has been forged as much by the wins and losses he’s experienced off the ice as on it. Mike Zeisberger, Postmedia Network | March 13, 2017 10:13 AM ET * * * Joseph Anthony Boyle “could have been my best bud,” Brian Boyle reflects all these years later. FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. — Imagine being just two years old, gathered with your brothers and sisters on a staircase watching your Only they never had the chance. Joseph never made it to his two-month father kneeling on the downstairs floor, attempting in vain to revive your birthday, passing away from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in lifeless infant sibling while your mom screams in horror. November of 1986. Imagine being 14 years of age and being informed that cancer is eating It was young Brian’s first brush with death. Not that he remembers much away at your dad — only to subsequently have him shock his doctors of it. with the type of unbelievable recovery you still refer to as “a miracle.” “I’ll be reminded now and then of the circumstances, but I was pretty Then imagine, for a moment, that as a recently married man, you find out young,” he says, more than three decades later. that a close friend — someone who had been in your wedding party and Where it really hits home, he admits, is when he looks at Declan these a kindred spirit you considered to be “like a little brother” — had suddenly days. drowned, just hours after hosting a charity event. “My son is the about the same age as I was when Joseph died,” Boyle Brian Boyle does not have to imagine these things. He’s lived them. says. “I can’t imagine the hurt he would experience if he had to go Ask the recently acquired Maple Leaf about the roller-coaster ride that through something like that.” has been the first 32 years of his life and he shrugs his shoulders. Yes, Parents Artie and Judy forged ahead with their family, even with the he admits, there have been plenty of times that tragedy has tugged on sense of loss continuing to gnaw at their souls. his heart strings. But, in the overall scheme of things, isn’t that just part of the journey we all go through? Brian was the couple’s seventh child, Joseph the eighth. Three years later, Julianne was born. No. 9. And for her birth, all seven kids were in “Yeah, there’s been some pain, but everybody has their share of it,” he the delivery room including young Brian, wearing a hospital gown and reflected during a recent sitdown with Postmedia. “You never know what cap. is going on in someone else’s personal life.” During a 2014 interview with the Tampa Bay Times, Artie explained the Besides, in his mind, there have been far more ups than downs. There logic. was his dad’s incredible comeback from disease. There is his marriage to model Lauren Bedford. There is his two-year-old son, Declan. There is “My wife said that if these kids can see death, they can see life,” he said. the anticipation of the couple’s second child, which is on the way. And there is the reality of having your dream of one day playing in the In 1999, it appeared as if the Boyle kids would see death again. National Hockey League become reality. Artie had been diagnosed with cancer. Doctors removed one of his Meet the Boyle bunch kidneys only to discover the disease had spread to his lungs. Artie described it as a “death sentence.” Jennifer, 42 — Doctor, mother of eight “He kept the severity of the situation from me,” Brian says now. Artie Jr., 41 — Special Olympics competitor “Otherwise, I really would have been floored. It was bad enough as it is.” Michelle, 40 — Works in real estate, mother of eight Perhaps seeking divine intervention, Artie heeded the advice of brother- in-law Kevin Gill and pal Rob Griffin and accompanied the two to Bosnia Christopher, 38 — In seminary and Herzegovina to the pilgrimage site Medjugorje, where he spent a Brendan, 35 — Works in sales week of prayer and worship. When Artie returned home, doctors were stunned: All traces of the cancer had disappeared. Kathryn, 33 — Works with archdiocese of Boston Leafs scoring tracker, 1917-2017: Every goal (and the 10 biggest) in the Brian, 32 — Centre, Toronto Maple Leafs team's 100-year history Joseph — Passed away at 2 months in November 1986 “A 100% miracle,” Brian says now, some 17 years afterwards. Julianne, 27 — Assistant director at Artie Jr.’s group home Upon being given such an improbable clean bill of health, Artie, once the owner of his own trucking company, took a job with the development Gabrielle, 25 — Works in sales, published singer/songwriter/guitarist faction of the Archdiocese of Boston. He also wrote a book on his experience entitled Six Months To Live. Timothy, 23 — Defenceman, Wheeling Nailers. ECHL, former 2012 Sens draft pick Do you believe in miracles? The Boyles certainly do. Nicholas, 21 — Enjoys golf/hockey here was no such miracle for Corey Griffin. Andrew, 19 — Former high school golf team captain It had been Corey’s dad Rob who had made the trip overseas with Artie to Medjugorje. Now, more than a decade later, Rob Griffin was on the And, of course, there is the priceless experience of being part of a family other end of the line with some devastating news for Brian. of 13 kids. Corey, one of Brian’s best friends, had drowned. Just hours earlier on Yes, 13. this mid-August day of 2014, Corey had raised $100,000 at an ALS event “What were times like Christmas and Thanksgiving like? Chaos,” he on Nantucket Island. At the after-party, he decided to dive into the laughs, recalling his childhood days in Hingham, Mass. “There was harbour. He was seen bobbing to the surface once. That was it. noise. There was wrapping paper all over. There was yelling and “You get a call at 3 a.m., like that and you’re in such disbelief,” Boyle laughing. And there was a lot of love. Those are some of my favourite recalls, his voice cracking with emotion. “It’s still hard to swallow.” memories. Corey Griffin was just 27. “We were spoiled. I don’t know how my parents did it, but their focus was always on family.” If adversity makes you stronger, then you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone with more physical and emotional muscle than 6-foot-7 Brian These days, Brian Boyle has a new family. A new hockey family — the Boyle. Toronto Maple Leafs. And in a dressing room full of inexperienced, uber- talented kids, general manager Lou Lamoriello says the intangibles the Or, for that matter, loyalty. well-grounded Boyle brings to the table are valuable additions that complement his on-ice talents. If Maple Leafs players want to know just how much Boyle supports his family — whether it be the blood or the hockey variety — they should heed this following story in order to know he has their backs. After being prodded by his dad to join him in a recreational hockey game one day, Brian became irked at a yappy opponent who kept taking shots at Artie. Finally, Brian had enough. So, he responded physically to the chirping pest. “I took a run at the guy,” Brian says. “Everyone laughed except my dad, who yelled at me. He said I shouldn’t do that, then he still felt like coming to my aid. I could have had him. “I was just sick of that guy (the opponent), so I got rid of him.” It takes a lot to get Brian Boyle to lose his cool. This is, after all, the same guy who took Lauren to church on their first date. Perhaps the most telling endorsement of Brian Boyle is the cache of compliments coming from those he’s played with in New York and Tampa, applauding what a great teammate he is. The young Leafs will see that first-hand again this week when he returns to Tampa to play the Lightning on Thursday, the first time he’ll face the team that traded him to Toronto less than two weeks ago. “It might be a bit strange when I get on the ice there, but once the game starts, you just play,” he says. “I’ve been through this before. “We’re in a great spot here (with the Leafs). Everybody should be feeling a bit younger. We’ve got a good shot at getting into the playoffs. You try not to take it for granted. “It’s just the most fun hockey there is.” And if it means going through his ex-Tampa teammates to do it, well, so be it. National Post LOADED: 03.14.2017

1052770 Washington Capitals Share via Email Isabelle Khurshudyan Fourth down: Capitals now focus on rebounding from rare losing skid Washington Post LOADED: 03.14.2017

By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 13 at 1:09 PM

ANAHEIM — The doors to the Washington Capitals locker room stayed closed for roughly 15 minutes after their 5-2 loss to the Ducks on Sunday night. The team always has a meeting after games, but this one ran longer because the Capitals had reached unfamiliar territory — their first four-game losing streak since November 2014. “We’ve been together a long time,” captain Alex Ovechkin said. “We don’t remember when we lose four in a row, and that’s a good thing. It’s nice it’s happening right now before the playoffs than during the playoffs.” They all seemed to understand the reasons that have caused the slide during the course of week. The Capitals have taken too many penalties while scoring too few goals, and some turnovers in their own end have cost them. And their mounting losses could cost them as well. If the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Calgary Flames on Monday night, they will have taken over first place in the Metropolitan Division, putting Washington on track for a significantly tougher first-round matchup as a No. 2 or No. 3 seed. The Capitals won’t have an easy time snapping out of this with the Minnesota Wild, the Western Conference’s top team, as their next opponent. So how does Washington turn things around at this point? “We make hockey our first priority and focus a little better than we did on this trip,” defenseman Brooks Orpik said. “We don’t need to elaborate.” Said goaltender Braden Holtby: “Any adversity is a good thing if you use it the right way. If we’re good enough to be a championship team, we will get through this. We’ll push through and be better. But that’s something we have to do. . . . We have to realize that us as individuals have to be better and more committed to create a better team game, and that’s something we’ll work on.” The mood in the Honda Center visiting dressing room after the game was disappointment mixed with determination. Ovechkin, Orpik and Nicklas Backstrom, the team’s three captains, all spoke to reporters, as did several others. Rather than point fingers, many players admitted to their personal struggles recently. The last time the Capitals had a team meeting similar to this one was after an overtime win against the Boston Bruins in December, when Washington coughed up a three-goal lead. That helped propel the team to win the next four straight games. “We pride ourselves on defending and also scoring,” defenseman John Carlson said. “Everyone’s got to get it figured out, me included, for sure, and I think the only good thing is that there’s been parts of our game where you can tell we’re laying it on the line, we’re trying to do the right things. Maybe we do deserve a little better, but it doesn’t really matter at this point. I truly believe you’re going to get slapped in the face a lot throughout the year, and you can pout about it or get over it and get better.” This Washington slide started when the team returned from its five-day bye week last month. The Capitals were 17-2-1 going into the break, and are now 5-6-1 since the bye week. Washington was averaging 4.65 goals per game during that stretch, but the team has been held to fewer than four goals in 10 of the past 12 games. In the three games during the California trip, the Capitals have taken 16 minor penalties in three games, and they’ve allowed four power-play goals. “We have to kill so many penalties, it takes the life out of a lot of guys,” Carlson said. “It makes it a lot harder to be chasing them down when it seems like every couple minutes, we’re killing something off.” After the game, Coach Barry Trotz said “adversity is a great teacher,” acknowledging that Washington hasn’t had much of it during his three- year tenure with the team. Does this losing streak have him concerned? “I don’t want it to go too much longer, but as long as we learn from this trip and not sort of blow it off,” Trotz said. “Our guys aren’t happy that we didn’t have a good trip. We weren’t happy that we didn’t get our last game at home. But we haven’t been as good in a lot of parts of our game. I think it identifies a lot of stuff we can work on.” 1 Comments Share on FacebookShare Share on TwitterTweet 1052771 Washington Capitals

Alex Ovechkin’s goal drought reaches a career-long of 10 games

By Isabelle Khurshudyan March 13 at 7:16 AM

ANAHEIM — California hasn’t been kind to the Washington Capitals this week, and it’s been particularly cruel to captain Alex Ovechkin. On Sunday, he launched four shots at goaltender Jonathan Bernier, but for a 10th straight game, Ovechkin didn’t score as the Capitals fell to the Ducks, 5-2. That marks a career-long drought for Ovechkin, and the Capitals’ struggles — a season-worst four-game losing streak — have highlighted his own. It’s been 18 games since he’s scored an even-strength goal, and he has just two points in past nine games. His recent play has improved, but the score sheet has still eluded him. “A little bit frustrating because the puck don’t go in,” Ovechkin said. “You just maybe wait something happen going to be, a miracle or something. You just have to work harder and fight through it.” So how does Ovechkin, a veteran of 907 games and 1,022 points, manage this new feeling of being unable to score? “You know, I’m not a rookie anymore,” Ovechkin said. “I don’t think about, ‘Do I have to score every game?’ Of course, I wanted to. If you look at the chances we don’t have, it’s all about me. The guys give me really good plays, and I just have to put it in. One goal and it’s turned around in a different way.” In the past four games, Ovechkin has had 21 shots on goal, including a nine-shot showing against Dallas. But in most of those games, Washington’s stars, Ovechkin included, have been outplayed by their opponents’ top players. In San Jose, the scoring came from Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Joe Thornton and Brent Burns. In Los Angeles, Anze Kopitar, Marian Gaborik and Jeff Carter carried the Kings. And on Sunday night in Anaheim, Ryan Kesler and Corey Perry starred. This season has been an interesting one for Ovechkin, even before this slump. His ice time has been reduced by roughly two minutes per game from last season, and he’s averaging a career-low 3.70 shots per game this season. Accounting for the lessened playing time, his rate of shooting is down, too, both at even-strength and on the power play. Through 68 games, he has 27 goals and 29 assists. A year ago, Ovechkin had 42 goals and 21 assists at the 68-game mark. This will be the first time since the 2011-12 campaign that he hasn’t reached the 50- goal plateau in a non-lockout-shortened season, and after winning four straight Rocket Richard trophies for leading the league in goals, he’s now seven off Sidney Crosby’s 34. But Capitals Coach Barry Trotz doesn’t think it’ll take “a miracle” for Ovechkin to score again, pleased with his effort in the past several games. “There will be a lot made of him not scoring lately, but he is skating and maybe playing better than he has in long stretches when he was scoring,” Trotz said. “He’s pretty dangerous. He’s skating. I know that he’s worked on that, and he’s getting chances. He’s dangerous and he’s being heavy and he’s hard to play against. It’ll come.” Washington Post LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052772 Washington Capitals “Ovi is skating,” Washington coach Barry Trotz said. “There will be a lot made of him not scoring lately, but he’s skating and maybe playing better than he has in long stretches where he was scoring this year. He’s pretty Ducks send slumping Caps to 4th straight loss dangerous.” NOTES:Carlyle earned his 400th career victory, becoming the 36th NHL coach to hit the mark. … Kesler secured his ninth 20-goal season in the By Greg Beacham - Associated Press - Monday, March 13, 2017 last 10 years, including all three of his seasons with the Ducks. … Anaheim C Antoine Vermette returned from his 10-game suspension for slashing a linesman last month in Minnesota. … Bernier got the start for Anaheim after John Gibson was ruled out shortly before game time with ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Nearly 10 years after Corey Perry and Ryan a lower-body injury. Gibson returned from a six-game injury absence Getzlaf won the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks, they put on a Friday in St. Louis. vintage performance to cap a celebratory reunion weekend with those 2007 teammates. UP NEXT The Washington Capitals took a thrashing, but they’re hoping it moves Capitals: Host the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday. them closer to a championship of their own. Ducks: Host the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday. Perry had two goals and an assist, Getzlaf added a goal and two assists, and the Ducks sent the NHL-leading Capitals to their fourth consecutive Washington Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 loss, 5-2 on Sunday night. Before the game, the Ducks welcomed home nearly all the players who raised California’s first Stanley Cup, including captain Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger and Teemu Selanne, in a ceremony to mark the 10-year anniversary of the franchise’s only title. Perry and Getzlaf were young supporting players on that team. Now well- established NHL stars, they responded to their old buddies’ presence with a big win for Randy Carlyle, the coach of that championship team and this current bunch. “To see them all, and then to play the way we did, it’s a good feeling for everybody,” said Perry, who had just the second multi-goal game of a difficult season. “It’s definitely a motivation after you go out to dinner with them the night before.” Ryan Kesler also had a goal and two assists for the Ducks, who have won three of four to move ahead of the Calgary Flames for second place in the Pacific Division. Rickard Rakell scored his 29th goal, and Jonathan Bernier made 25 saves. “The emotions were high out there,” Kesler said. “If we play that way, we can play with anyone in this league. I think we know that. We just haven’t found a way to stay consistent, and that’s what we’re striving for.” While the Ducks hit an emotional high, the Caps are heading home on a serious low after a winless California road swing. John Carlson and Marcus Johansson scored for the Capitals, who are on the longest skid of their outstanding season. Pittsburgh could pass Washington for the Metropolitan Division lead Monday in Calgary. Alex Ovechkin failed to score a goal in his 10th straight game. That’s the longest drought of his 12-season, 907-game NHL career. “We don’t remember the last time we’ve lost four in a row, and that’s a good thing,” Ovechkin said. “It’s nice it’s happening before the playoffs, and not during the playoffs. It’s frustrating because the puck won’t go in, but we have to work harder and fight through it.” All-Star Braden Holtby stopped 27 shots for the Capitals, who have lost four straight in regulation for the first time since November 2014. Holtby has yielded 12 goals while losing three straight starts. “We just haven’t quite adjusted to everyone else playing playoff hockey quite yet,” Holtby said. “That’s something we know. We realize in our room that we’re going to have to adjust and step up. We’re just a little bit behind as a group, and that’s something we know we’re capable of fixing in here, stepping up, ramping it up. I think it’s a good eye-opener, a good wakeup call that this is a playoff run now.” Washington was without defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who served the first game of his two-game suspension for charging Los Angeles’ Kevin Gravel on Saturday night. Nate Schmidt played for just the second time since the Caps acquired Shattenkirk from St. Louis last month. After a scoreless first period, Perry collected a turnover by Lars Eller and beat Holtby for his 13th goal. The 2011 NHL MVP scored again 4 1/2 minutes later, artfully tipping Kesler’s shot. Rakell put the Ducks up 3-0 just 28 seconds later, beating Holtby for his seventh goal in eight games. Rakell even has two more goals than Ovechkin, the NHL’s six-time Richard Trophy winner and its top goal- scorer in each of the past four seasons. Rakell has played 10 fewer games than the Capitals‘ Russian superstar, who hasn’t scored an even-strength goal in 18 games - another career worst. Ovechkin had nine-game goal droughts in late 2008 and late 2010, but had never gone 10 games without a goal. 1052773 Washington Capitals “We’ve got away from executing as a group, trusting each other to be in the right places, making saves at the right time,” Holtby said. “It’s something we’re going to have to really dig down and pull through, and NHL-best Capitals ‘slapped in the face’ by 4 straight losses the good thing about it is we have some tests coming up that will show the character of our team.”

The Caps must next face former coach Bruce Boudreau and the Wild, By GREG BEACHAM - Associated Press - Monday, March 13, 2017 who trail Washington by just three points with a game in hand. Their next five games are against postseason contenders.

“We just haven’t quite adjusted to everyone else playing playoff hockey ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) - The Washington Capitals have four straight quite yet,” Holtby said. “We realize in our room that we’re going to have regulation losses for the first time in 2½ seasons. Their defense has been to adjust and step up. We’re just a little bit behind as a group. I think it’s a shredded for 17 goals during that skid, and superstar Alex Ovechkin is good eye-opener, and a good wakeup call that this is a playoff run now.” mired in the longest goal-scoring drought of his career. Washington Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 No wonder the doors to the visitors’ dressing room stayed shut for an awfully long time after the overall NHL leaders concluded a miserable California road swing with a 5-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night. “We’re trying to do good things, and maybe we deserve a little better, but it doesn’t really matter at this point,” defenseman John Carlson said. “I truly believe that you get slapped in the face a lot throughout the year, and you can pout about it, or get over it and get better.” Indeed, the Capitals seem to be at a crossroads as they return home for a visit from Western Conference-leading Minnesota on Tuesday night. Washington (44-17-7) has been on top of the Metropolitan Division and the overall NHL standings since Jan. 15, but the Pittsburgh Penguins visit Calgary on Monday with the chance to move on top. “If we’re good enough to be a championship team, we will get through this,” All-Star goalie Braden Holtby said. The Capitals have rarely played two straight bad games during coach Barry Trotz’s tenure, but they’ve now played four stinkers in a row, losing by a combined 17-8. They were trounced in succession by the Sharks , Kings and Ducks in a four-night stretch out on the West Coast. “Adversity is a great teacher,” Trotz said. “We haven’t had a lot in the last couple of years.” Yet Washington’s veteran core knows it can’t wait much longer to learn its lessons for the postseason. The Caps are 5-6-1 since their mid- February bye week, and they’ve scored more than two goals in a game just twice. “We just haven’t quite adjusted to everyone else playing playoff hockey quite yet,” Holtby said. “That’s something we know. We realize in our room that we’re going to have to adjust and step up. We’re just a little bit behind as a group. … I think it’s a good eye-opener, and a good wakeup call.” The Capitals‘ offensive struggles are epitomized by Ovechkin, who hasn’t scored a goal in 10 games or an even-strength goal in 18 games - both the worst stretches of the six-time Richard Trophy winner’s 12-year, 907- game career. Trotz said Ovechkin is actually playing solid hockey, moving his feet and getting into prime positions to score. The coach still tried to apply a spark by separating Ovechkin and playmaker Nicklas Backstrom on Saturday night in Los Angeles. “It’s a little bit frustrating because the puck won’t go in, but we maybe wait,” Ovechkin said. “Something (will) happen. Going to be a miracle or something. “We have a solid group of guys, and we’ve been together a long time,” Ovechkin added. “Obviously, we don’t remember when we’ve lost four in a row, and that’s a good thing. It’s nice it’s happening right now before the playoffs, (rather) than during the playoffs.” Indeed, the Capitals hope their unusual struggles will translate into something else they haven’t experienced: postseason success. Washington has been a regular-season powerhouse for a decade, compiling six division titles, five 100-point seasons and two Presidents’ Trophies while making eight playoff appearances. But it has won just five postseason series in that stretch, never advancing past the second round. According to a common theory about regular-season powerhouses, cruising into the postseason doesn’t allow them to develop the mental and physical toughness to survive two grueling months of Stanley Cup pursuit. Washington will have to grind to get out of this March rut, and the Caps are hoping they’ll learn something they can use in May and June. 1052774 Washington Capitals

Blue Jackets’ Ryan Murray out 4-6 weeks with broken hand

By - Associated Press - Monday, March 13, 2017

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Ryan Murray is out four to six weeks with a broken hand. Murray broke his right hand when he blocked a shot from the Buffalo Sabres’ Tyler Ennis on Saturday. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen announced the extent of the injury Monday. Murray had surgery Monday at Grand Medical Center. An absence of four to six weeks is typical for hockey players with this injury. Murray has two goals and nine assists in 60 games this season. The second overall pick in the 2012 draft has 11 goals and 49 assists for 60 points in 220 NHL games. Though injuries have plagued Murray, he was one of three Blue Jackets players to appear in all 82 games last season. Washington Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052775 Washington Capitals “We’ve got away from executing as a group, trusting each other to be in the right places, making saves at the right time,” Holtby said. “It’s something we’re going to have to really dig down and pull through, and Capitals ‘slapped in the face’ by four straight losses the good thing about it is we have some tests coming up that will show the character of our team.”

The Caps must next face former coach Bruce Boudreau and the Wild, By Greg Beacham - Associated Press - Monday, March 13, 2017 who trail Washington by just three points with a game in hand. Their next five games are against postseason contenders.

“We just haven’t quite adjusted to everyone else playing playoff hockey ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Washington Capitals have four straight quite yet,” Holtby said. “We realize in our room that we’re going to have regulation losses for the first time in 2½ seasons. Their defense has been to adjust and step up. We’re just a little bit behind as a group. I think it’s a shredded for 17 goals during that skid, and superstar Alex Ovechkin is good eye-opener, and a good wakeup call that this is a playoff run now.” mired in the longest goal-scoring drought of his career. Washington Times LOADED: 03.14.2017 No wonder the doors to the visitors’ dressing room stayed shut for an awfully long time after the overall NHL leaders concluded a miserable California road swing with a 5-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday night. “We’re trying to do good things, and maybe we deserve a little better, but it doesn’t really matter at this point,” defenseman John Carlson said. “I truly believe that you get slapped in the face a lot throughout the year, and you can pout about it, or get over it and get better.” Indeed, the Capitals seem to be at a crossroads as they return home for a visit from Western Conference-leading Minnesota on Tuesday night. Washington (44-17-7) has been on top of the Metropolitan Division and the overall NHL standings since Jan. 15, but the Pittsburgh Penguins visit Calgary on Monday with the chance to move on top. “If we’re good enough to be a championship team, we will get through this,” All-Star goalie Braden Holtby said. The Capitals have rarely played two straight bad games during coach Barry Trotz’s tenure, but they’ve now played four stinkers in a row, losing by a combined 17-8. They were trounced in succession by the Sharks , Kings and Ducks in a four-night stretch out on the West Coast. “Adversity is a great teacher,” Trotz said. “We haven’t had a lot in the last couple of years.” Yet Washington’s veteran core knows it can’t wait much longer to learn its lessons for the postseason. The Caps are 5-6-1 since their mid- February bye week, and they’ve scored more than two goals in a game just twice. “We just haven’t quite adjusted to everyone else playing playoff hockey quite yet,” Holtby said. “That’s something we know. We realize in our room that we’re going to have to adjust and step up. We’re just a little bit behind as a group. … I think it’s a good eye-opener, and a good wakeup call.” The Capitals‘ offensive struggles are epitomized by Ovechkin, who hasn’t scored a goal in 10 games or an even-strength goal in 18 games - both the worst stretches of the six-time Richard Trophy winner’s 12-year, 907- game career. Trotz said Ovechkin is actually playing solid hockey, moving his feet and getting into prime positions to score. The coach still tried to apply a spark by separating Ovechkin and playmaker Nicklas Backstrom on Saturday night in Los Angeles. “It’s a little bit frustrating because the puck won’t go in, but we maybe wait,” Ovechkin said. “Something (will) happen. Going to be a miracle or something. “We have a solid group of guys, and we’ve been together a long time,” Ovechkin added. “Obviously, we don’t remember when we’ve lost four in a row, and that’s a good thing. It’s nice it’s happening right now before the playoffs, (rather) than during the playoffs.” Indeed, the Capitals hope their unusual struggles will translate into something else they haven’t experienced: postseason success. Washington has been a regular-season powerhouse for a decade, compiling six division titles, five 100-point seasons and two Presidents’ Trophies while making eight playoff appearances. But it has won just five postseason series in that stretch, never advancing past the second round. According to a common theory about regular-season powerhouses, cruising into the postseason doesn’t allow them to develop the mental and physical toughness to survive two grueling months of Stanley Cup pursuit. Washington will have to grind to get out of this March rut, and the Caps are hoping they’ll learn something they can use in May and June. 1052776 Washington Capitals

NHL POWER RANKINGS: CAPS GO COLD IN CALIFORNIA

By J.J. Regan March 13, 2017 10:30 AM

Caps nation is in a panic. After a rough California road trip, the Caps have lost four straight games, have seen their lead in the standings evaporate and are at a low point for the season at a time when they should be gearing up for the playoffs. There's a lot riding on this season. Alex Ovechkin is 31 and the team has multiple expiring contracts. There's a real possiblity that this is the last year of the Capitals' championship window so when they rattle off four straight losses for the first time since Barry Trotz's first year behind the bench in Washington, it's a cause for concern. Are the Caps as bad as they have looked the past week? No, but if they don't turn things around quickly, we won't be talking about whether they can finally get past the second round of the playoffs, we'll be talking about whether they can even get out of the first. It wasn't that long ago that the Caps were the top team in the Power Rankings. Now, they're not in the top five. Check out just how far Washington fell here in this week's NHL Power Rankings. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052777 Washington Capitals

PREDICTION RECAP: ALMOST EVERYTHING GOES WRONG FOR CAPS IN ANAHEIM

By J.J. Regan March 13, 2017 9:30 AM

The Caps saw their losing streak extend to four games on Sunday with a 5-2 loss to the Anaheim Ducks. Here's a recap of the three bold predictions for the game. 1. The Caps will score first - Wrong I was wrong on this one three times over. After a scoreless first, Anaheim scored three times in the secod to take a 3-0 lead and take control of what had been a close game. 2. There will be a fight - Just let them fight! It looked like I was going to be right as Tom Wilson dropped the gloves in the first period, but the refs stepped in before he could start wailing on Ryan Kesler. Becasue of that, I'm taking a half point. Maybe Wilson dropped the gloves prematurely, but knowing the kind of agitator Kesler is, it wouldn't be surprising if he told Wilson, "Let's go" and then waited in an attempt to draw the penalty. 3. John Carlson will get an assist - Wrong Carlson did me one better with a goal instead of an assist. I really should have said that he would get a point rather than an assist. I am tempted to give myself a half point on this, but there's a pretty significant difference between a goal and an assist so I will let it go. 2017 Results: I am as cold as the Caps are at this point. Correct: 31 Wrong: 54.5 Push: 3 Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052778 Washington Capitals

BRUCE BOUDREAU: 'IT'S TIME' FOR WILD AND CAPS TO GET DIALED IN

By Tarik El-Bashir March 13, 2017 3:53 PM

When the Capitals and Wild meet Tuesday night at Verizon Center, the game will pit a pair of top teams still searching to rediscover their pre-bye week mojo. Mired in a rare four-game losing streak, the Caps are 5-6-1 since the bye and have conceded significant ground Metropolitan Division. In fact, Washington headed into the six-day hiatus last month with nine- point advantage on the Blue Jackets, Rangers and Penguins. Now, that lead has been whittled to just a single point over Pittsburgh, which can leapfrog the Caps with a win in Calgary on Monday night. Minnesota, meanwhile, sits atop the Western Conference standings. But the Wild have also struggled to regain their footing coming out of the bye, going 4-4-0 in the last eight games. Their most recent loss, a 4-2 setback in Chicago on Sunday, allowed the Blackhawks to pull within a point of them in the conference and Central Division standings. “I don’t know the answer,” former Caps and current Wild bench boss Bruce Boudreau said, asked why so many teams have slumped after the bye. “But one of the thoughts is we’re playing at the same level that we were playing, but [for] other teams it’s a real state of urgency that they’re in at this time. And they’re playing way above where they would have played previously.” Speaking after practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex, Boudreau added: “I think it's time for us and other teams [to] step our game up 10 or 20 percent, like the rest of the teams in the league are doing.” For Washington, which was off Monday as the team traveled back from the West Coast, the game against Minnesota opens an import stretch. The Caps are tied for the most home wins in the league—27—and they'll now get the chance to steady themselves on F Street, where they play five of the next six games. Boudreau said he suspects that with less than a month left in the regular season, teams like the Caps and Wild are going to begin ramping up their collective focus and urgency after coasting for a bit. “It’s the time of the year and our sense of urgency, whether it’s the Caps or whether it’s us…it’s not there yet,” Boudreau said. “But when you have to win the games, I think you’ll see these teams step up and play really good hockey.” Boudreau expressed a similar sentiment when asked about his former star player Alex Ovechkin, who hasn’t scored a goal in 10 games. The drought is the longest of Ovi's illustrious career. “He’s going to get out of it one day,” Boudreau said with a chuckle. “I just hope it’s not tomorrow.” Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052779 Winnipeg Jets

All-but-dead Jets now in show-and-tell mode

By: Paul Wiecek

NASHVILLE — Mathematically, the Winnipeg Jets are alive in the NHL playoff race. Realistically, it’s a very different story for a team that one website currently lists as having a 0.2 per cent chance of making the post- season, and even then only if they win at least 12 of their remaining 13 games. And so the best question for this maddening hockey team heading into a Central Division battle here Monday night against the Predators is no longer "what if?" It’s "what now?" "I don’t think that you’re looking at these last (13) games to tell you something completely different than you’re already learning," Jets head coach Paul Maurice said here Monday following his team’s morning skate. "We’ve got players who’ve been in the league a while and we have a pretty good understanding how they play. "But the younger group — and that’s about half our team — is still defining what they’re good at and now they’ve got a little different set of pressures. We’re going to ask them to do the hard things as we have all year. And their ability to do that will give us an idea of where they slot in next year. "We’ve scored some goals this year, so we feel we have enough firepower... but we haven’t kept enough out of our net so we need those guys to prove that they can put the puck in the net and still be good defensively." The Jets are currently ninth in the NHL in goals scored this season, but just 27th in goals against. The biggest culprit to blame for that disparity? A penalty kill that ranks 28th in the NHL and has been even worse than normal lately, extinguishing just five of 10 over the last two games in losses to Pittsburgh and Calgary. Still, Jets centre Mark Scheifele says the bottom line for his teammates now remains the same as it was when they were still in the hunt. "Wins. That’s what we’re going for. That’s what we have to focus on and that is our focus here." It’s been a while — the Jets head into Monday’s game riding a three- game losing streak that all but killed what slim hopes the team had of climbing back into the playoff race. They trail the St. Louis Blues by nine points for the final wildcard spot in the Western Conference and the Blues have two games in hand. The Jets are scheduled to fly out immediately following Monday night’s game to the New York area, where they are scheduled to play the New Jersey Devils Tuesday and the New York Islanders on Thursday. But there is now some uncertainty surrounding that schedule, with a massive blizzard expected to hit the region late Monday and continue through Tuesday. Airlines have pre-emptively cancelled 1,000 flights into New York airports on Tuesday and the Jets have made alternative travel arrangements in case their charter flight is unable to land in New York early Tuesday. The Devils issued a statement on their official Twitter account Monday afternoon saying that their game with the Jets "is still currently scheduled.... Follow us, as the most updated info will be posted here. #BlizzardWatch." The Jets will be without defenceman Jacob Trouba Monday night against Nashville. Trouba was cut on the head during a fight with Calgary’s Sam Bennett Saturday night. Trouba took the morning skate in Nashville but Maurice said he won't be in the lineup and is listed as day-to-day. Connor Hellebuyck is expected to make his 14th consecutive start in net for the Jets. Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.14.2017 1052780 Winnipeg Jets cast for awards last year, 69 came from reporters covering teams in the Eastern Conference — where the Toronto chapter is one of the largest — 57 came from the Western Conference, and 43 were from at-large Calder Trophy debate: Will East Coast bias hurt or help Auston voters, many of whom reside in Toronto. Matthews? In the last 10 years, the vote was split right down the middle, with 25 of the 50 total winners coming out of each conference. None came out of Toronto. In fact, aside from a Lady Byng Trophy in 2003 and a Selke BY MICHAEL TRAIKOS, POSTMEDIA NETWORK Trophy in 1993, Toronto players have been shut out from the major awards.

Of course, it’s not without effort. With four daily newspapers in Toronto, TORONTO — The question did not mention Auston Matthews, Patrik compared with two in Winnipeg, Matthews gets written about and talked Laine or the whole Calder Trophy debate. about more than any other rookie. There was nothing said about whether playing in Toronto, rather than While most of the press is justified, there are times when it goes Winnipeg, helped or hurt a player’s popularity. overboard. The words “Eastern Conference bias” were not uttered at any point. During TSN’s trade deadline broadcast, Toronto-based analyst Jeff O’Neill, who played for the Leafs, said he wouldn’t trade Matthews for Mike Babcock was simply asked if he felt any animosity from his Edmonton’s Connor McDavid. coaching fraternity for being in the quote-unquote, “centre of the hockey universe.” That’s not to say that Laine has been ignored. “I can’t think of one thing that would be bad about playing in Toronto “Laine’s play really speaks for itself,” Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff told except if the team’s bad,” said the Maple Leafs head coach, who a week Postmedia at last week’s GM meetings. “It’s not a media blitz or a media earlier had been name-dropped by Jets head coach Paul Maurice for campaign or anything like that. You do see the fact that he’s 18 years old spinning losses as life lessons. and one of the youngest players in the National Hockey League right now and doing the things that he does with a very young hockey team.” “I guess if you want to play where they don’t know about hockey, then go and play somewhere else. But to me, if you want to play in the best The thing to remember is that this is not a case of one player being hockey market in the world this is where you want to be. I think it’s artificially propped up. Matthews and Laine are very much equals. Even if fantastic.” Matthews were playing in Arizona, he would be in the Calder conversation — although it is worth mentioning that had 19-year-old As Babcock spoke, you could picture fans in Vancouver rolling their eyes. defenceman Zach Werenski (nine goals, 41 points) been playing in Toronto may or may not be the best hockey market in the world, but it’s Toronto versus Columbus, the debate would be a lot more interesting. certainly the biggest. There’s strength in numbers, with more reporters “It just happens that (Matthews) is in a market that lives and breathes the covering the sport here than in any other place in the NHL. Because of team,” said Postmedia reporter Kristen Odland, who covers the Calgary that, the daily plight of the team’s seventh defenceman often receives Flames. “If anything, it helps his bid because there are a million more more attention than star forwards in some other markets. stories and coverage on him and I really don't think they are blown out of So when there is a genuinely good player to talk about, such as proportion or over-exaggerated. He's really that good.” Matthews or Mitch Marner or William Nylander, the rest of the world Laine has been just as good, if not better. But that might not be enough. hears about them. Ad nauseam. It took scoring 50— along with a highlight-reel goal scored while sliding But does that help Matthews’ chances of beating Laine for the Calder on his back — for Alex Ovechkin to edge Sidney Crosby for the Calder Trophy? Or might it actually hurt him? back in 2006. “I am a little sick of hearing about him,” Postmedia hockey reporter Jim For Laine to pull ahead of Matthews, he might have to do something Matheson, who covers the Edmonton Oilers, said in an email. “But I think equally extraordinary. people in Toronto are trying too hard to inform us how special he is.” “The race is neck and neck to me,” Postmedia hockey reporter Ken “Look, you can't escape the Toronto hype machine,” wrote Ottawa-based Wiebe, who covers the Jets, wrote in a direct message on Twitter. “I don't Postmedia hockey columnist Bruce Garrioch in a direct message on think playing in Winnipeg has prevented people in other markets from Twitter. “That's just the reality of Matthews being in a big market. But the knowing who Patrik Laine is or how good he is, to be honest … To me, amount of press a guy gets won't have any weight in how I fill out the two excellent players and the final 14-16 games will determine who wins ballot box.” the award. It's a great race and both players should be celebrated.” “I do think Toronto writers have gone completely nuts, but I don't really Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.14.2017 blame them, given what they've had to watch the last decade,” said Jason Brough, a Vancouver-based writer for NBC’s ProHockey Talk. “At any rate, it won't affect my vote one way or the other. Laine gets plenty of attention himself.” When comparing Matthews to Laine, there are a number of things to consider. The obvious one is production. Laine leads all rookies with 32 goals and 59 points heading into Monday night's games. He is tied for third in the Rocket Richard Trophy race, has scored three hat tricks and five game- winners. When he scores, the team is 17-3-3. Matthews is ranked second among rookies with 31 goals and 55 points. He scored four times in his NHL debut, has six game-winners and leads the league in even-strength goals heading into Monday's games. But it’s not just about goals and points. Is it more impressive that Matthews is a centre, seeing as Laine plays on the wing? Is Matthews at an advantage because he is seven months older? Is he at a disadvantage because he’s on a line with rookies? Does being on a playoff team matter? Somewhere on the list is geography. Despite Ilya Bryzgalov’s claims about Winnipeg, it is not actually more difficult to play there. But is it more difficult to get recognized? The Professional Hockey Writers’ Association votes on the Hart, Norris, Calder, Selke and Lady Byng Trophies. Of the 169 votes that the PHWA 1052781 Winnipeg Jets Marko Dano-Andrew Copp-Chris Thorburn DEFENCE Trouba out for Jets vs Predators Julian Melchiori-Dustin Byfuglien Blue line takes another hit with latest injury Josh Morrissey-Ben Chiarot Mark Stuart-Paul Postma BY KEN WIEBE, FIRST POSTED: MONDAY, MARCH 13, 2017 GOALTENDERS Connor Hellebuyck NASHVILLE — The Winnipeg Jets will be without another key Michael Hutchinson defenceman as they face the Nashville Predators on Monday. Nashville Predators Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba took part in the morning skate but stayed on the ice for extra work and will be out of the lineup for at least one FORWARDS game with an upper-body injury. Filip Forsberg-Ryan Johansen-Viktor Arvidsson The loss of Trouba (six goals, 27 points in 52 games) can't be PA Parenteau-Mike Fisher-Craig Smith understated as he's been one of the best players for the Jets this season. Colin Wilson-Calle Jarnkrok-James Neal Trouba was involved in a fight with Calgary Flames forward Sam Bennett, but returned to finish the game with 25:24 of ice time. Cody McLeod-Colton Scissons-Austin Watson “(Trouba) is not in today,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “He had a DEFENCE little bit of a skate and we'll see. Day-to-day is (how) we'll list him.” Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis Maurice didn't have a time line for Trouba's potential return and isn't sure he'll be back before the end of this three-game road trip, which continues Matthias Ekholm-P.K. Subban with games against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and the New York Anthony Bitetto-Yannick Weber Islanders on Thursday. GOAL “Yeah, we can be hopeful,” said Maurice. “We'll see how he feels tomorrow.” Pekka Rinne Trouba joins Toby Enstrom (concussion) and Tyler Myers (lower body) Jusse Saros defencemen on the sidelines. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.14.2017 Julian Melchiori replaces Trouba in the lineup. Maurice is making one other lineup change, as Chris Thorburn returns to the fourth line and Nic Petan is a healthy scratch for the fifth time in the past six games. Connor Hellebuyck makes a 14th consecutive start in goal for the Jets, while the Predators counter with Pekka Rinne. While the Jets are essentially in next-year country — nine points behind the St. Louis Blues with just 13 games left to play in the regular season (with the Blues holding two games in hand) — the Predators are battling to hang onto third place in the Central Division standings. “It's going to be tough,” said Jets centre Mark Scheifele. “Obviously, it's down to crunch time and we have to be at our best.” By going 2-4 on a critical homestand, the Jets might soon be embracing the role of spoiler – though they'll continue to hold out hope until being mathematically eliminated. “We're going to try our best,” said Jets forward Marko Dano. “At this point, we want to go out there and try to feel good about ourselves and prove that we're a good hockey team. The playoffs are a little far now, but you never know. “I saw my first year in Columbus (2014-15), we had nothing to lose so we played well and went on a (nine-game) winning streak. You never know what's going to happen. We're going to go from game to game.” The Jets (30-33-6) nd Predators (33-24-11) have split the two meetings this season, with Nashville winning 5-1 on November 25 and Winnipeg responding with a 3-0 win on November 27. One of the many areas the Jets will be looking to clean up is the penalty kill, since they've given up five goals in 10 opportunities during the past two games to drop to 28th in the NHL at 76.6 per cent efficiency. As for Myers, Maurice said he is on a schedule of skating on alternate days, so while he's making progress, his return is not imminent. Here's how both teams are expected to start on Monday: Winnipeg Jets FORWARDS Nikolaj Ehlers-Mark Scheifele-Blake Wheeler Mathieu Perreault-Bryan Little-Patrik Laine Shawn Matthias-Adam Lowry-Joel Armia 1052782 Winnipeg Jets Armia is one of those guys who could see himself left exposed in the expansion draft, though he remains in the discussion if the Jets find a way to protect three defencemen and seven forwards — instead of four Jets fall to Predators in OT defence and four forwards (under the eight-skater option). Wheeler, Byfuglien and Laine had the other goals for the Jets on Monday. BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN Another subject that will attract plenty of attention during the coming weeks is Laine’s quest to win the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie. NASHVILLE — - From this point on, the auditions will basically take centre stage. Right now, Laine and Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews are basically neck-and-neck in the competition and this final stretch should While the Winnipeg Jets have yet to be mathematically eliminated from determine the winner. playoff contention, it’s only a matter of time. Laine had gone three games without registering a point and admitted he The Jets will say the right things about competing right until the end of wasn’t happy with his recent play, but the Finnish sniper finished Monday the regular season and while that’s a noble cause, the final 12 games will with seven shots on goal, including a great chance from in tight in mean different things for different people. overtime that was turned aside by Predators goalie Pekka Rinne. Come the fall, there are going to be changes — perhaps significant “It came kind of quickly, I didn’t do anything fancy. I tried for the five- changes — to the Jets’ roster and maybe not just on the periphery either. hole,” said Laine. “I was too close to the goalie and obviously, he’s one the best goalies in the league. He knew what I was going to do and he The core of the roster is likely to remain mostly the same, but it needs to got it.” be augmented, especially on defence where the Jets don’t have nearly enough depth. By scoring his 32nd goal of the season on Monday, Laine is now two goals and five points up on Matthews while playing five fewer games The youth (Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, Jacob Trouba, Josh Morrissey because of the eight he missed with a concussion. and Adam Lowry) are taking on greater responsibility and guys like captain Blake Wheeler, Mark Scheifele, Bryan Little and Dustin Byfuglien Now this isn’t only a points race of course, but it would be foolish to think aren’t likely going anywhere. the accumulation of points won’t be a factor either. But with the Vegas Golden Knights expansion draft looming in June and THREE STARS the Jets having guys in the system like Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic (among others) hoping to get a shot to strut their collective stuff before Ryan Johansen, Predators – The offensively-gifted centre scored the this season is over, the competition for ice time up front figures to only tying goal in the third period and set up another. increase. James Neal, Predators – The winger scored another important goal Don’t believe me? against the Jets, this one the winner in overtime. Then circle back to 12 months ago, when guys like Scott Kosmachuk and Nikolaj Ehlers, Jets – A pair of primary assists for the speedy winger, Chase De Leo got late-season opportunities and actually performed giving him 10 points during the past eight games. pretty well. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.14.2017 This season, De Leo has been recalled on several occasions but hasn’t seen any game action and Kosmachuk slipped down the depth chart and hasn’t had a sniff of a promotion. “There were players who finished last year who were more in pen than pencil and for sure, they need to understand that there’s competition there. There are players in the AHL that are going to try to win jobs and you’ve got an entire summer of additions that possibly could happen and they’re aware of that,” Jets head coach Paul Maurice said after the morning skate. “We’ve got some players here that are making a hard case to be regulars in the NHL. They need to use these games to get better. The younger group – and that’s about half of our team — is still defining what they’re good at and now, they’ve got a different set of pressures. We’re going to ask them to do the hard things, as we have all year and their ability to do that will give us an idea of where they slot in next year. “We’ve scored some goals this year, so we feel we have enough firepower, at least a developing group of offensive players. We haven’t kept enough (pucks) out of our net, so we need those guys to prove they can put the puck in the net and still be good defensively.” That remains a work in progress, but it’s one of the pivotal pieces required for the Jets to take an important step forward. The cautionary tale is simple: with more changes coming, leaving a positive impression on the coaching staff and management is vital for many players. On Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena, against a team that is firmly entrenched in a playoff spot but trying to hold off a push from the St. Louis Blues, the Jets sang a familiar tune, putting forth a strong offensive effort while encountering some defensive woes that were compounded by Jacob Trouba (upper body) and Toby Enstrom (concussion) joining Tyler Myers on the sidelines with injuries. The end result was a 5-4 overtime loss to the Nashville Predators, who got a power play goal from James Neal at 2:11 of the extra period with Dustin Byfuglien serving a hooking minor. The Jets, 30-33-7, are scheduled to continue a three-game road trip on Tuesday night against the New Jersey Devils. In Monday’s game, some of the guys looking for a strong finish had an impact, including third-line winger Joel Armia, who scored his eighth goal of the season. 1052783 Winnipeg Jets Beau Bennett-Joseph Blandini-Stefan Noesen Blake Coleman-Kevin Rooney-Blake Pietila Five keys to Jets vs. Devils DEFENCE Andy Greene-Ben Lovejoy BY KEN WIEBE, WINNIPEG SUN Jon Merrill-Steven Santini John Moore-Damon Severson Five keys to a Jets victory GOALIES STAY FRESH Cory Schneider Tuesday marks the 13th time the Jets are scheduled to play on Keith Kinkaid consecutive days this season and so far they're 6-4-1 in the second game of those back-to-backs. The Jets have only one more set of back- Sick Bay to-backs this season and it comes later this month when they face the Jets: G Ondrej Pavelec (knee), D Tyler Myers (lower body), D Toby Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks. Enstrom (concussion), D Jacob Trouba (upper body) ROLL FOUR LINES Devils: LW Mike Cammalleri (shoulder), C Jacob Josefson (upper body), When facing a back-to-back situation, finding a way to be able to use a RW Devante Smith-Pelly (lower body), C Travis Zajac (personal), G Scott fourth line for somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10 minutes is Wedgewood (shoulder) important – especially when the opposition is fresh and coming off a Special teams disappointing defeat. Power play D IS FOR DISCIPLINE Jets: 17.0 (23) The Jets have been struggling mightily of late while shorthanded, giving up five goals in 10 opportunities during the past two games – going into Devils: 17.9 (20) Monday's game against the Predators. The issue is two-fold: being more disciplined is the first step and then getting better at shutting down the Penalty kill opposition power play is the second. Jets: 76.6% (28) SOLVE THE METROPOLITAN PUZZLE Devils: 80.5% (18) While the Jets have been solid within the Central Division this season, Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.14.2017 they've struggled more against the Metropolitan Division than anyone else, posting a 2-8-2 record so far. The Devils are 5-5-1 against the Central and lost 3-2 to the Jets in their only other meeting of the season back on November 29 at MTS Centre. PUT PRESSURE ON SCHNEIDER Former Manitoba Moose goalie Cory Schneider hasn't been quite as sharp this season and it's reflected in his numbers – 19-22-10 record, 2.72 goals-against average and .911 save percentage in 53 games. He was pulled in his last start after giving up four goals on 10 shots and he'll be looking to bounce back. The big match-up Dustin Byfuglien vs Taylor Hall With Jacob Trouba and Toby Enstrom both sidelined with injuries, Byfuglien finds himself in the shutdown pair with Julian Melchiori and part of his responsibility will be trying to contain Hall, who is tied for the Devils scoring lead with 44 points. Winnipeg Jets FORWARDS Mathieu Perreault-Mark Scheifele-Patrik Laine Nikolaj Ehlers-Bryan Little-Blake Wheeler Shawn Matthias-Adam Lowry-Joel Armia Marko Dano-Andrew Copp-Nic Petan DEFENCE Julian Melchiori-Dustin Byfuglien Josh Morrissey-Paul Postma Mark Stuart-Ben Chiarot GOALTENDERS Michael Hutchinson Connor Hellebuyck NEW JERSEY DEVILS FORWARDS Taylor Hall-Adam Henrique-Kyle Palmieri Miles Wood-Pavel Zacha-Nick Lappin 1052784 Vancouver Canucks What this means The Canucks were able to play the what-if game on their last road trip: “What if we win and they lose?” Bruins 6 Canucks 3: It's 2011 all over again as Marchand trolls Vancouver They could have been 11 points out of the final Western Conference wild-card playoff position and they whittled it down to five points after a positive 2-1-0 trip. But the deficit was up to 10 before they faced the BEN KUZMA Published on: March 13, 2017 Bruins on Monday. Now, they finally and collectively realize what’s at play. Keep playing hard to maintain some level of fan interest and teach the kids about There’s nothing like Nostalgia Night. Even if it only lasts an hour. everyday commitment. Daniel and Henrik Sedin led by example in the first period and you never have to convince them to make the most of a While it’s unrealistic to expect willing minds and aging bodies to always March that has transitioned from hopeful to dreadful. be in sync, there were flashes of the good-old times Monday. There were even Images to suggest that amid the stark reality of another National And that also goes for others. Hockey League season gone south for the Vancouver Canucks, that Henrik and Daniel Sedin thought it was 2011. Even for a period. “We still want to put some wins together to make things interesting,” said centre Brandon Sutter, who had but two points in his previous 15 games They combined with Markus Granlund to put up six first-period points. and is dealing with a sore wrist. They looked like the answer to match the dominant Brad Marchand- Patrice Bergeron-David Backes trio that had six shots in the opening “We’re not giving up on this year, but we’re looking forward a bit and we frame and threatened to put the game away early. all understand that. We want to get better and develop the young guys a bit. You just can’t throw in the towel. If you do that, you’re never going to Yet, it the end, the Canucks didn’t have an answer against the Boston get better. Nights where we’re not sharp, we’re not good, but we can Bruins in a 6-3 loss. build some character over the last month.” It wasn’t a throwback to the 2011 Stanley Cup final because the Bruins Daniel and Henrik Sedin go to work against the Bruins. iced only six players from that seven-game series and the Canucks have only four on their roster who can still recall the agony of the setback. What we learned But what the Bruins had Monday was purpose in staying in the playoff There’s being cleared to play and playing because you’re wired to play. picture, while the Canucks tried to stay in the moment — yet are really Willie Desjardins will have to take a hard look at Brandon Sutter and his focusing on what next season may bring. wonky wrist, the long season that Chris Tanev has endured with a bad Yet in the end, it was really 2011 all over again. ankle sprain and whether to bring Loui Eriksson back from a knee sprain. It wasn’t Marchand using Daniel Sedin like a punching bag, it was the Why not shut them down? irritating and effective winger continuing to take his game to another “I wouldn’t consider it, but it comes from where they (players) are at,” level. With the Canucks in a 3-3 deadlock in the third period, it was said Desjardins. “You may go and talk to a guy just to make sure he’s Marchand’s second goal of the period that embarrassed the Sedins and healthy and ready to play and it doesn’t matter how important a game is Edler. — guys have to be cleared. But we’ll talk to our players and see where All three Swedes played in that 2011 Cup final and what Marchand did to they’re at.” them to break the deadlock was, well, too much deja vu. In a word Marchand knocked Henrik Sedin off the puck on the sideboards, breezed FINISHER: Markus Granlund showed impressive speed, presence and by Daniel Sedin in the slot, went around Edler and slipped a backhander finish to complete a tic-tac-goal scoring play with Henrik and Daniel past Ryan Miller for his 34th goal of the season. He then added an Sedin. empty-netter for good measure. PUNISHER: Henrik Sedin turned back the clock, dangled through the slot Brad Marchand scores his second goal of the game against the Canucks. area and forced defenceman Brandon Carlo to take a hooking infraction. He got a chorus of boos for the effort, but it was something that really RELOADER: Alex Edler had his first shot blocked and his second deserves a standing ovation. attempt shocked an over-committed Tuukka Rask for his fourth goal of However, it wasn’t a total loss for the Canucks. the season. They have stayed loyal to Granlund and he looks more than comfortable Alex Edler scores on Tuukka Rask. on the first line. Whether he’s a fit there next season remains to be seen, Advanced stats but his ability to release a quick and accurate wrist shot and get to the net will resonate with any coach. 36: Number of players the Canucks have used through injuries, indifferent play and experimentation. Drew Shore was the latest to debut Think about the other right wingers who have flanked the Sedins. There Monday. was Eriksson, Jannik Hansen, Brandon Sutter, Jayson Megna, Radim Vrbata, Alex Burrows, Ryan Kesler, Nicklas Jensen, Mason Raymond, 24: Distance in feet in which Markus Granlund scored his first of two first- Zack Kassian, Taylor Pyatt, Jason King, Anson Carter, Jeff Tambellini, period goals with a quick wrist shot release from the slot off the rush. Sergei Shirokov, Steve Bernier, Trent Klatt, Trevor Linden, Peter Schaefer, Donald Brashear, Todd Bertuzzi, Matt Cooke, Jarkko Ruutu, Zdeno Chara looks on as Markus Granlund celebrates his goal. Ryan Shannon and Brad Isbister. -1: Even-strength Corsi for new centre Drew Shore, who played right There was also something else Monday. wing in his debut. Had CF 5 and CA 7 in 9:19 of ice time through two periods. Despite missing Chris Tanev, Eriksson, Brendan Gaunce and Nikolay Goldobin — and those who are just starting to skate in Derek Dorsett, 4: Number of hits after 40 minutes for diminutive bulldog defenceman Erik Gudbranson and Jack Skille — there was effort. Great goaltending Alex Biega, who wasn’t afraid to throw his weight around against the big and one-goal games have become the norm and despite finding Bruins. themselves in a 3-3 deadlock in the third period, the Canucks didn’t have Next game a closer. Thursday They don’t have a kid like David Pastrnak who has 28 goals. They don’t have a first-round pick who can wire a one-time slapper off a cross-ice Dallas Stars at Vancouver Canucks feed like Alex Ovechkin. They will have one once Brock Boeser finishes his career at North Dakota and signs with the Canucks. 7 p.m., Rogers Arena That’s something to hope for. Sportsnet Pacific, TSN 1040 AM [email protected] Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2017 twitter.com/benkuzma 1052785 Vancouver Canucks “It was tough,” he recalled. “The first year, it was at the trade deadline, guys were rolling and I never got into it. And the next year, I was mostly in the minors because I could have played better. But one positive thing Drew Shore set to seize his Denver dream with Canucks audition is I worked a lot on my game there. “And this whole reason, I went over there (Switzerland) to showcase myself and I had a pretty good year,” added Shore, who’s wearing No. BEN KUZMA 42. “I want to show I can be a good, impactful two-way centre. The Canucks have given a lot of opportunities to guys who have seized it and I hope to show I can be part of the future.” Canucks Post Game: The wild Marchand winner, the Granlund debate, Copeland’s first impression of Shore is a lasting one. the Shore debut “His T-shirts were absolutely filthy because he used to grab his T-shirt What will the Vancouver Canucks see during the Drew Shore audition? and wipe his mouth constantly — I named him Pig Pen,” chuckled Billy Copeland knows. Copeland. “I think the only person in his life who has called him Pig Pen is me.” The North Shore Winter Club coach had a formidable band of bantams in the 2004-05 season. On a dominant club that stormed to a provincial Responded Shore: “It’s a nickname when you’re a 13-year-old kid and he championship and a Western Canadian title, he guided Evander Kane, was picking on me.” Martin Jones, Stefan Elliott and Shore — who would all play National Hockey League roles — but there was something special in Shore. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Maybe it was because Shore was so strong-willed that he left Denver at age 13 to pursue a higher level of hockey in another country. Or maybe it was the fact that he processed the game at such a high level because he was simply well ahead of his development curve on and of the ice. “He’s 26 going on 46 because the biggest thing back then in bantam was his level of maturity,” Copeland recalled Monday. “He’s a student of the game and so well spoken. “That season (2004-05) we were on plane to Saskatchewan for the Western Canadian championship. He comes back to my seat and asked the lady beside me — in a very respectful way — if she could move because he wanted to talk about our defensive-zone coverage. “We gave up only two goals the entire provincials due in a large part by having Jones in net, but he was still questioning why we were doing it. He wound up playing for Team USA at the under-17 worlds and they used the same defensive-zone coverage as us in bantam.” Not that Willie Desjardins is about to give up his whiteboard to Shore on the bench, but the Canucks coach is getting somebody who thinks the game well and that is only going to help the 6-3, 205-pound Shore make an impact. He’s on a one-way, pro-rated contract for $600,000 US for the remainder of the regular season to show what he can do as a two-way presence and he’s buoyed by the transition of former Flames teammates Sven Baertschi and Markus Granlund to the Canucks. Shore had 48 points (24-24) in 50 games with Kloten HC of the Swiss A League this season, but has just 24 points (9-15) in 80 career NHL games with Florida and Calgary. However, Copeland knows the 2009 second-round pick of the Panthers is re-energized by having another NHL shot. He even attended the centre’s wedding in the summer and knows the player and the person better than most. “I know it means everything to him,” added Copeland. “He texted me from the plane after he signed. We were discussing in the summer where to go and he gave some serious thought to the KHL. For him to do this is something he really wants.” Run this by Shore and you get a nod of agreement because there had to be a connection between Copeland and the Shore family to allow the centre’s parents to have the confidence and trust in parting with their son to further his career. Shore played spring hockey here and would transition into the winter program. “He was really impactful and in my two years here, he made me feel comfortable and grow as a player,” Shore said of Copeland. “He still runs youth hockey camps in Denver and I also help him out and with a camp in Aspen. “But having them (parents) willing to let me go here (Vancouver) is probably not the word. There were a lot of hours of debate and I lived my first year with a family who were also from Colorado and that also helped my parents feel comfortable. “But when I was growing up in Colorado, there was no triple-A hockey and I have younger brothers and it’s crazy how much hockey has grown there in 10 years.” Shore’s game didn’t grow in Calgary. He played just 13 games over two seasons and spent 59 games in the AHL last season. 1052786 Vancouver Canucks You’re going to think I’m joking. I’m not. The Provies: Henrik’s take on the luxurious D, Willie’s concession and The captain criticized his team for playing slow, poor decisions, holding closure on One Man vs an Army onto pucks, placing pucks in wrong areas, attempted dekes and skating pucks up the ice.

Henrik: Jason Botchford March 14, 2017 “I don’t think we’re making the right plays when we have the puck on our stick. The Provies: Henrik's take on the luxurious D, Willie's concession and “We’re holding onto pucks too long. closure on One Man ... “We’re not making the right breakout passes. I think we’re (playing) too BIGGEST CONCESSION slow. If I had a white towel, I would have thrown it. “It’s breakout passes where we’re not quick enough to get the puck off It was pure savagery. Humiliating, too. our sticks.” Marchand spent the first half of the the game trolling the Canucks and Uh, did he just shred the luxurious defence? the second half making them quit. He went on: Believe me, Canucks fans are ready to lose. Used to it, even. “A lot of turnovers are because we throw pucks in the wrong area. I think But a Marchand four points and a hat trick. It brought the Sedins to their that comes with experience.” knees, leaving them helpless to find a positive when it was all over. It left “When we’re getting the puck and we’re holding onto the puck and we’re Willie suggesting his team wasn’t all-in on trying to win. trying to deke guys and skate up the ice, we put our teammates in tough Marchand doing this takes a lot of the steam out the tank train which positions.” looks like it may have another gear. Again, that sure sounds like the defence he’s talking about. The number that will get the most play is the 40 shots the Canucks have This does not sound good. given up in four of six games. There is no way a team giving up 40 shots on the regular can claim the competitive side of the street. Is it good? The goal that will get the most play was the fourth. You almost wanted to BEST END IT start slow-chanting “shame, shame, shame, shame” watching Marchand lift Henrik’s wallet and then score because Edler challenged him poorly Can we get over the idea the youngest players “haven’t earned it.” and Daniel did nothing at all. What are any of the veterans “earning” these days? Does this look like veterans trying to win every last game? If the veterans are checking out at the end of the year, what’s the point of Marchand actually passes the puck to himself. playing them more because at some point in the past they earned it. It is an amazing play. But it’s as ugly as it gets too. I asked Willie if his veterans were losing focus, this was his response: Good lord. “I don’t think it should be tough. I think they’re a proud group.” The play actually started with what Willie called a “1-on-5” rush. Are they? If this continues at all, this is the third year in four the Canucks have melted down and given up in the final weeks of a season. “And he got a shot,” Willie lamented. “I think it has to hurt to lose every night,” Willie said. He sure did. “You can’t, you can’t, you can’t, you just can’t accept losing. You probably forget now, the Canucks started the third with a 3-2 lead “There’s nothing in you (like that) for guys who get to this level. Did they give up on their coach when they hit their first significant turbulence? “If you don’t come hard, you get that losing feeling. If that’s not motivation enough to drive you to be good, then there’s nothing there that will do it.” “No, I didn’t see a team that was giving up,” Willie said. “I didn’t see that. BEST COMPARISON “But I didn’t see us obsessed with winning either.” Goldy didn’t know systems. Goldy was new. Goldy was rested and ready No, haven’t seen that in some time. for the Canucks when they arrived in California. Goldy didn’t have to travel. Goldy played 5:51. That is some concession from the coach. Shore was in Switzerland. He played his last game Saturday. The game BEST SPIN finished at 11 pm. Willie: “It was the first we let it get away. We gave up 17 shots in the first. He was up until 4 am packing. Just after 5 am, he took a 90-minute flight It doesn’t take much, 12 each period and you’re at 40.” from Switzerland to Frankfurt. He then took an 11 hour flight to Seems, 12 shots against a period is not giving up much for the Canucks. Vancouver. He got into YVR at 3 pm. Thing is, the way things have been going, he’s right. He played for the Canucks the next day. He played 14:07. He played the wing. He’s a natural centre. BEST SIGN OF THE TIMES BEST YOU CAN’T MAKE THIS UP Henrik: “I wasn’t surprised by 35-plus or 40-plus shots, I knew that was going to be the case.” Reid Boucher had five shots on net. He led the team. He played 11:14. Wait, what? Guess he has a shoot first mentality. Has the defensive structure crumbled before our eyes? Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Henrik: “I don’t think so. You can give up shots and play well defensively. “You give up shots anyway from the outside against teams that have a shoot-first mentality. “You can’t panic just because they put up shots on the board, that’s what they do.” BEST RANT 1052787 Vancouver Canucks Run all this by Granlund and you get a shoulder shrug. He doesn’t say much. He lets his play do the talking.

“When you get the opportunity, you have to show what you’ve got,” said Canucks Post Game: The wild Marchand winner, the Granlund debate, Granlund, who had four shots Monday. “When you’re playing with them the Shore debut (Sedins), you have to work hard and make room for them and find them.” That’s great. But what about that quick and accurate wrist shot that BEN KUZMA March 13, 2017 Granlund is showing off? “I knew even before this season that I could shoot the puck, but this season I’m just more confident shooting.” The Canucks couldn't stop Brad Marchand on Monday night. Jeff Vinnick / Getty THE SHORE LINE: ASSIST, PENALTY, FATIGUE Points to ponder as the Canucks took a bad trip down memory lane and Drew Shore was running on adrenalin and probably fumes Monday. saw too much of Brad Marchand and his hat-trick performance in a telling After accepting a one-way, pro-rated contract for $600,000 US contract 6-3 loss Monday to the Bruins at Rogers Arena that makes you wonder for remainder of the regular season to sell the hockey operations how losing is affecting the veteran core: department on his future worth, the 26-year-old centre made his Canucks THE GOAL THAT SAID IT ALL debut on wing after winging it from Switzerland. It wasn’t pretty. It was ugly. Shore was even walking the Vancouver streets at 5 a.m. Monday because the Littleton, Colo, native played his final Swiss league game Unless you were admiring the fashion in which Brad Marchand was able Saturday night and then started the long sojourn to Vancouver. He body to dance past a trio of veteran Swedes to snap a 3-3 deadlock in the third clock is out of whack, but not his outlook on this opportunity. period, you had to wonder if it was fatigue, forgetfulness or the stark reality for the Canucks that time waits for nobody in a young man’s “It’s been a quick turnaround. I played in Switzerland on Saturday night at game. 11 p.m and boarded a plane at 5 a.m. and then an hour to Frankfurt and 11 hours here, but I don’t think I’ve ever been excited more to play a Henrik Sedin took ownership of the fourth goal that turned the game game.” around. Shore showed some expected tentativeness early and had trouble When Marchand won a board battle with Henrik Sedin, darted into the moving his feet. He took a second-period holding penalty in the offensive slot past a stoic Daniel Sedin, drove around Alex Edler and slipped a zone when he tugged on the jersey of the towering Zdeno Chara, who backhander past Ryan Miller, it was more than just a goal. You don’t was transitioning the puck. Shore looked like he needed oxygen. want to suggest that anybody quit on the play, but the manner in which the Bruins took it to the Canucks in the third period was startling. “Sleep maybe, not oxygen,” said Shore, who logged 14:07 and assisted on Alex Edler’s goal to give the Canucks a 3-2 lead. “I actually felt better “It was my mistake on the fourth one — I lost the puck and it bounced off than I thought I would with the travel. With Chara, I just didn’t move my me,” said the Canucks captain. “I didn’t feel that we were panicking in the feet and should have done it.” third, but they (Bruins) played well the whole game. We were lucky to be in it in the first and we played too slow. Shore had 48 points (24-24) in 50 games with Kloten HC of the Swiss A League this season and is looking to regain an NHL roster spot. He has “We didn’t make breakout passes we needed to make and we just 24 points (9-15) in 80 career NHL games with Florida and Calgary and weren’t there with the puck.” the 2009 second-round pick of the Panthers believes he can be a strong two-way presence for the Canucks. Miller was at a loss to explain the fourth goal because, quite frankly, Marchand could have gone to the forehand or backhand with so much Time will tell. open ice. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.14.2017 “Once he got to the forehand, I thought he was going to be a shooter, so I sealed off that side and trusted he wasn’t going to go any further,” said Miller. “I tried to take away a few of his options but he obviously got loose.” The Canucks simply didn’t have an answer for the Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-David Backes trio that combined for eight points and 14 shots. They tried different lines. They tried everything and were outshot 14-7 in the third period and 40-29 overall. IS GRANLUND LONG-TERM, FIRST-LINE FIT? Markus Granlund will tell you that franchise loyalty has translated into confidence, a first-line presence and 18 career goals. Henrik Sedin will tell you something else. “He does a lot of things that Burr (Alex Burrows) did when he came in (to the first line),” started the Canucks captain. “He’s smart and he’s able to make plays. You have to be able to make the short passes and be in the right spot. “This league is too tough to just skate well and think you’re going to make it — you have to have the smartness and that’s what he has. He has a great wrist shot, a very underrated shot and when he gets into those scoring areas, he usually scores.” Markus Granlund looks like a first-line fit, but will he be one next season? Jeff Vinnick / Getty The question is whether Granlund is a long-term fit on the first line. Willie Desjardins would like to see what Granlund could do with Sven Baertschi and Bo Horvat, even though there’s intrigue about Nikolay Goldobin and widespread wonderment about Loui Eriksson. Does Henrik think Granlund should be on his line next fall? “I hope so,” he said. “He’s one of the guys we said all along that we would like to play with. He shows something each and every game.” 1052788 Vancouver Canucks League. Shinkaruk’s only NHL play this season was a seven-game call- up in November, when the 22-year-old had one assist, only five shots on net and was minus-three before being handed a return ticket to the AHL. MacIntyre’s 3 thoughts: Haters, hitters and poetry in motion He has scored once in his last 25 games and with 23 points in 38 games in Stockton has been nearly lapped by minor-league teammate Linden Vey, the mighty former Canuck who has 40 points in 48 games. IAIN MACINTYRE March 13, 2017 Just in case you’re scoring at home.

NEAR SHORE, FAR SHORE? DOESN’T MATTER Somewhat random thoughts on the Canucks’ 6-3 loss tonight to the Bruins. I have no idea if Drew Shore is going to turn into a National Hockey League player. Odds are against 26-year-old North Americans circling HATERS HATE, MARCHAND SCORES back to the NHL and succeeding after a stint in European hockey. But I still love the Canucks’ signing of him. Boston Bruin Brad Marchand. Agitator. Predator. Enemy. Rocket Richard winner? His one-year, one-way, pro-rated contract is a win-win. Shore will collect about $100,000 US of his $600k contract over Vancouver’s final 14 Marchand’s third-period hat trick tonight against the Canucks, who games, and the Canucks get an exclusive trial with a point-per-game surrendered four goals in the final 20 minutes to lose 6-3 to the Bruins, player from the Swiss League. Then they’ll decide after the season if moved the most hated player in Vancouver – OK, maybe it’s Kesler, but Shore has shown enough promise to keep him in the organization long the vote is close – into a tie with Sidney Crosby for the National Hockey term. League goal-scoring lead. Marchand has 35 goals and 74 points in 69 games. Drew Shore walks to the team dressing room before his first game with the Canucks. Jeff Vinnick / PNG Marchand has more than twice as many points than all but three Canucks. The signing illustrates again the Canucks know their organizational depth is weak, especially at forward, and the club is continuing to look for The 28-year-old superpest was the best player on the ice tonight by a players in unlikely places. And that under these circumstances, the mile. He owned the puck and the Canucks. His winning goal, when he Canucks are a land of opportunity that makes them a favourable stole the puck from Henrik Sedin, dangled through defenceman Alex destination for NHL candidates like Shore, who had other options. Edler and outwaited and outreached goalie Ryan Miller, was pure brilliance. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Brad Marchand scores his second goal of the game against the Canucks. Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press So was his vision on the tying goal when his angled pass to David Pastrnak created one scoring chance before Marchand tied it 3-3 on the next one, backhanding Pastrnak’s centring pass into an unguarded net after Miller did the hokey-pokey and several other Canucks turned themselves around to watch the puck instead of the most dangerous guy on the ice. Marchand and linemates Patrice Bergeron and David Backes combined for 14 shots and eight points. You may hate him. Heck, you probably should hate him for some of the things he has done. But Marchand has become in his late 20s one of the best two-way players in the world, a bonafide star whose name, already on the Stanley Cup, could go on the Richard Trophy in June. Canuck prospects Nikita Tryamkin and Joe LaBate had the chance in the first period to become folk heroes when they objected to Marchand’s bumps after the whistle. Can you imagine how the Canuck crowd would have reacted had one of them pummelled the player whose use of Daniel Sedin’s head as a speed bag typified the Bruins’ bullying of the Canucks in the 2011 final. In the end, it was Marchand who delivered the knockout blows, all of them with sublime skill. GRAND-LUND What people often overlook about Markus Granlund is that this is the Canuck’s first full season in the NHL. Acquired 13 months ago from the Calgary Flames, who sent him often to the minors, Granlund is a 23- year-old who has 19 goals after scoring twice against the Bruins. Quick to the puck, strong on it and willing to play in tough areas, Granlund is a lot like Jannik Hansen — except he appears to be a superior finisher. After Granlund’s quiet stretch drive last year after the trade, when he played mostly near the bottom of the lineup, I was skeptical about claims by Canuck coaches and managers last fall that Granlund’s offensive skills were under-rated and he could play a top-nine role in the NHL. But he has done that this season since the opener, and overall has been among the best five or six Canucks this season. And he should only be better when he is 24. Zdeno Chara looks on as Markus Granlund celebrates his goal. Jeff Vinnick / Getty By the way, the public outcry over the tragic loss of sniper-in-waiting Hunter Shinkaruk, sent to the Flames in exchange for Granlund, sure got quiet. And not only because Granlund has been so good. Granlund has outscored Shinkaruk 19-8 this season, and all of Shinkaruk’s goals have been for Stockton of the American Hockey 1052789 Vancouver Canucks pushing,” said centre Brandon Sutter, who has but two points in his last 15 games and is dealing with a sore wrist.

“We’re not giving up on this year, but we’re looking forward a bit and we Canucks Game Day: No Swiss miss for Shore, no false playoff hope, no all understand that. We want to get better and develop the young guys a player shutdown — yet bit. “You just can’t throw in the towel. If you do that, you’re never going to get BEN KUZMA better. Nights where we’re not sharp, we’re not good, and we can build some character over the last month.”

SHUTTING DOWN WILLING WOUNDED NO SWISS MISS, SHORE FINDS GAME There is being cleared to play and playing because you’re wired that way Drew Shore isn’t the first Vancouver Canucks roster player who failed to and know what’s at stake. connect with the Calgary Flames. There will come a point where Willie Desjardins will have to take a hard Sven Baertschi and Markus Granlund went through similar struggles, and look at Brandon Sutter and his wonky wrist, the long season that Chris it wasn’t surprising they were among those who sold Shore on accepting Tanev has endured with a serious ankle sprain and now food poisoning, a one-way, pro-rated contract for $600,000 US here for the remainder of and whether it’s wise to eventually bring Loui Eriksson back from a knee the regular season so he can sell the hockey operations department on sprain. his future worth. He may shut them all down. Drew Shore, who last played in the NHL for the Flames, plays at wing tonight for the Canucks. “I wouldn’t consider it, but it comes from where they are at,” said Desjardins. “You can’t say as a coach how guys are feeling exactly. You In what amounts to another audition — the 26-year-old Shore had 48 may go and talk to a guy just to make sure he’s healthy and ready to points (24-24) in 50 games with Kloten HC of the Swiss A League — play, and it doesn’t matter how important a game is — guys have to be there’s a sense of obvious anticipation in Shore, whose connection here cleared. dates to playing two seasons of bantam at the North Shore Winter Club with Evander Kane and Martin Jones under coach Billy Copeland. “But we’ll talk to our players and see where they’re at.” Shore was even walking the Vancouver streets at 5 a.m. Monday; the Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.14.2017 Littleton, Colo., native played his final Swiss league game Saturday night and then started the long sojourn to B.C. His body clock is out of whack, but not his outlook on this opportunity. “It’s been a quick turnaround. I played in Switzerland on Saturday night at 11 p.m and boarded a plane at 5 a.m., and then an hour to Frankfurt and 11 hours here. But I don’t think I’ve ever been excited more to play a game,” said Shore, who’s a centre but will play wing tonight to get accustomed to systems. “It’s almost feeling like my first game again — I’m thrilled and hopefully I can make the most of it.” Shore had talked to other National Hockey League clubs as his Swiss league season was winding down, because Kloten HC didn’t qualify for the playoffs. With 24 points (9-15) in 80 career NHL games with Florida and Calgary, the 2009 second-round pick of the Panthers believes his overseas adventure may re-energize his career. “I went over there to showcase myself and show my skills set and I had a pretty good year,” added Shore, who’ll wear No. 42 tonight, and as a healthy emergency recall, takes the roster spot of Alex Grenier. “I want to show I can be a good, impactful two-way centre. The Canucks have given a lot of opportunity to guys who have seized it, and I hope to show I can be part of the future.” Aside from adjusting back from the larger European ice surface, Shore believes he can play wing because he also played that position previously in the NHL. “I’m sure I’ll have the adrenaline going and I won’t be thinking about that too much,” he said. “I’m at my best when I’m moving my feet and shooting the puck. And this year was good for my confidence. I’m back to being the player I think I can be.” DOUBLE-DIGIT DEFICIT BITES The Canucks were able to play the what-if game on their last road trip. They could have been 11 points out of the final Western Conference wild-card playoff position. They then whittled it down to five points. Now it’s back up to 10. There hasn’t been much for Brandon Sutter to cheer about this season. And as much as the Canucks keep saying the right things about getting on a roll and getting some help to somehow leapfrog three clubs and beat extremely long odds, they realize the reality of what’s at play. It’s about playing hard to teach the kids about everyday commitment and making the most of a March that has transitioned from hopeful to dreadful. They can reference a 4-3 loss in Boston on Feb. 11. in which they mustered 32 shots, and cling to the notion that audition season is actually good to set the tone for next season. “We did quite a few good things in that Boston game, and we still want to put some wins together to make things interesting. We just have to keep 1052790 Websites

FOXSports.com / Two Coyotes teammates were involved in a violent collision before game

Pete Blackburn

It hasn’t been a great year for the Coyotes. They’re struggling in the standings, in attendance, and in the fight to remain in Arizona. It seems that they can’t do much right these days — even pregame warmups. On Monday night in Glendale, two ‘Yotes teammates were involved in a violent pregame collision that left both of them shaken up. Shane Doan, the team’s 40-year-old captain, got distracted while taking a lap around the ice and ended up skating straight into the backside of 18-year-old rookie defenseman Jakob Chychrun. The impact was pretty rough and Doan, who wasn’t wearing a helmet at the time, ended up missing the start of the game as he underwent evaluation. He returned to the Coyotes bench with a little over five minutes remaining in the first period. If you’re someone who believes in the mantra “everything happens for a reason,” this incident can symbolize the team’s struggle to find success while meshing older veterans with raw youth in recent years. Or, if you don’t need to find meaning in everything, this is just an ugly accident that thankfully didn’t result in injury. FOXSports.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052791 Websites Unless you're playing one of the first rounds on the course that day, there's a good chance people have been stomping all over the green all day anyway. One additional step isn't going to do much. FOXSports.com / The most annoying ‘unwritten rule’ in every major sport Plus, we all knew you weren't going to make that putt anyway. Hockey - Don't step on the logoHockey - Don't step on the logo Hockey - Pete Blackburn Don't step on the logo Many hockey logos are considered sacred and should never be sullied. Stepping on a logo is considered a sign of disrespect, so that's why NHL Sports can be good and fun, but sports can also be terrible and teams avoid putting it on the floor. insufferable. Let's be miserable together and focus on the latter for a second here. Just kidding, most teams love slapping their emblem on a carpet and then crying foul whenever someone steps on it. "Unwritten rules" become established naturally in sports over time. They're not officially in the rulebook (hence "unwritten") but they're We've seen it happen plenty of times and it will probably continue to guidelines that are acknowledged and followed by most around the sport happen unless teams begin to be more sensible about it. regardless. A reasonable mind says they should take the logo off the floor and put it Some of them are fine and serve a noble purpose, but far too many are on the ceiling or the walls where it would be much more difficult to step lame and estabish more limitations than are needed. on. So, what's the very worst one from each major sport? Let's examine. However, my brilliant mind says leave it on the floor, but surround it with trap doors or hot coals. That'll show those lowly traitors. Baseball - Don't show up the pitcher/batterBaseball - Don't show up the pitcher/batter Baseball - Don't show up the pitcher/batter Geoff Burke Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Baseball is a sport that's very, very adamant about "respecting the game" Racing - Letting drivers race to the line after a crashRacing - Letting and sometimes it gets to the point where it's insufferable. drivers race to the line after a crash Racing - Letting drivers race to the line after a crash It's a sport that relies so heavily on one-to-one matchups - with strategy and skill both playing a huge part - that players should get to celebrate Understandably, NASCAR does everything it can to finish every race freely when they outduel their opponent. under green-flag conditions, but if there’s a bad crash on the final lap, it’s a judgment call as to whether NASCAR officials throw the yellow or let Hitters should bat flip and stare down their big homers. Pitchers should drivers keep racing to the checkered flag. fist pump and get emotional after big strikeouts. It's more entertaining and makes the atmosphere more competitive. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. If you're a player who doesn't want to be disrespected or have your And that can leave fans confused as to why the yellow came out or why it feelings hurt, win the battle. Otherwise, suck it up and take the L. didn’t. Basketball - Dribble out the clock with a leadBasketball - Dribble out the It also gives fans fodder to fuel their conspiracy theories about NASCAR clock with a lead Basketball - Dribble out the clock with a lead playing favorites depending on which driver(s) benefitted from the outcome and which didn’t. You know what's pretty boring? Watching a player dribble in place for the final 20 seconds of a basketball game out of respect for a bunch of -- Tom Jensen losers. Stephen R. Sylvanie Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sp You know what's not boring? Watching a basketball player throw down a Soccer - Don't celebrate after scoring against a former clubSoccer - vicious slam or throw up a long-distance bomb to put an exclamation Don't celebrate after scoring against a former club Soccer - Don't point on a victory. celebrate after scoring against a former club It doesn't happen too often but it's hilarious to see how upset opponents When you play for a soccer club, you are bound to that team for life and get when a player goes for a basket with a comfortable lead on the final are never allowed to wish for anything bad to happen against them ever. possession. Even after they're done with you and sell you to another club. I'm a believer in padding the stats wherever you can, even if you have to Those are the rules, according to law of celebration around the game. trick your opponent to do so. Just don't pull a Ricky Davis. Players are encouraged not to celebrate when they score against a Football - Don't go for it on 4th down with a leadFootball - Don't go for it former team, regardless of the circumstances. on 4th down with a lead Football - Don't go for it on 4th down with a lead I understand showing appreciation for a past relationship, but as soon as Two things that are generally frowned upon when you've got a decent you join a new club, your only allegiance is to that team. Stop living in the lead in a football game are going for two-point conversions and going for past and celebrate every goal like it's your last. it on fourth down. UFC - Don't talk about what happens in trainingUFC - Don't talk about The latter is more confusing, though, because if you believe you have a what happens in training UFC - Don't talk about what happens in training good chance to keep possession of the ball by going for it on fourth Training is like the Fight Club of UFC/MMA guidelines. The first rule is down, why wouldn't you? you do not talk about what happens behind closed doors. Some may say it's disrespectful to go for it on fourth down while leading, Of course, training and sparring victories doesn't count on the books so but is it more disrespectful than purposefully giving the ball back to your it's pretty pointless to boast about, but fighters have been criticized opponent because you think you're going to win anyway? heavily for even bringing up their training work with another fighter. If you think you can get the first down, keep the ball as long as you can The code says combatants aren't supposed to talk about what happens and don't worry about hurting anyone's feelings. As we saw in this year's in the practice room, but sometimes what happens in practice shines a Super Bowl, no lead is big enough. brighter light on the fights that count. Winslow Townson Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports FOXSports.com LOADED: 03.14.2017 Golf - Don't walk in someone's line on the greenGolf - Don't walk in someone's line on the green Golf - Don't walk in someone's line on the green Can stepping in a player's line be an inconvenience and an annoyance? Sure. Should you avoid it if you can? Probably, but let's not act like it's some unforgivable sin that totally screws up a player's chances of making a putt. 1052792 Websites wary of how his star-dusted profile comes across to peers. "You don't want to be that big shot, some guy who's some…whatever," he says. "You're definitely conscious. You definitely get made fun of a little bit from CNN/Sports Illustrated / At just 20 years old, Connor McDavid easily your teammates, little jabs here and there, which makes it fun." earning role of Oilers' captain Around the league, though, outright respect far outweighs petty jealousy. Last season, when Lucic played for Los Angeles, he remembers joking with Norris Trophy-winning defenseman Drew Doughty about McDavid. ALEX PREWITT "One day," Lucic said, "he's going to roast you." "I know," Doughty replied, "he's going to get me one day." Now that he skates for Edmonton, Lucic reports that at least one friend on an opposing team has asked about scoring an autographed No. 97 McDavid jersey. The first explicit waves of internal support came rushing through Edmonton last April, when the Oilers held exit meetings after the 2015-16 "You talk about what he is to the game, that's what he already become," season and their players all but arrived toting rubber stamps. Again and Lucic says. "Just talking to some former teammates, guys I've played again, over the course of conversation, talk kept turning to the group's with in Boston and in LA, they see how good he is on TV, and they ask, vacant captaincy. Again and again, the teenager’s name kept popping 'How good is he?' I tell them, 'This is how he is.'" up. "They weren't poked or prodded with direct questions," says coach Todd McLellan. "But a number of them mentioned that it was time for NHL Connor to take the team and lead it. It was evident that the team was ready to support him." Gentle giant Patrick Maroon finally finding his way with the Oilers That Edmonton surprised exactly no one by making Connor McDavid the Asked how McDavid has improved as Edmonton's captain, Lucic speaks youngest captain in NHL history—at 19 years, 226 days old upon the of communication: "If something needs to be said to the coach or to a early-October announcement—indeed seemed long ago embossed in player or anything like that, he's learning how to say things as far as that orange and blue ink. He had already served the same role under goes, with confidence and in the right way. I think at the start of the McLellan for Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and season, he wasn't sure. Now what's impressed me is that he's not afraid before that with the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters during his final to say what the team and what he's thinking, and work with Todd on that. season of Canadian juniors in '14-15. Heck, as a kid he would insist that “The players have to be on the same page as the coaches, and it's up to his mother snip little C's out of felt material and sew them onto his replica the captain to be that middle ground. That's a huge part of the captain's Maple Leafs and Penguins jerseys. "Always had to have one," Kelly job. It's great to see him leading in that aspect." McDavid says. "Then it got to the point where he got older and he would just do it himself." An observation could be made that McDavid has grown more comfortable speaking his mind publicly, too. Witness, for instance, his So it should also come as no surprise that McDavid, now 20 years old frustration in December upon getting pulled by the NHL's new concussion and the league's scoring leader with 75 points through Sunday, has spotters for mandated protocol. Or how McDavid blasted Philadelphia's embraced the demands and fame of his new gig with the same Brandon Manning three days later for "classless" comments allegedly unflinching calm displayed while zipping on the rush, or dancing around stemming from their collision in Nov. 2015, which fractured McDavid's defensemen, or tugging the Oilers (35-24-9, 79 points) toward their first collarbone and caused him to miss three months of his rookie season. postseason appearance in a decade. Postgame interviews after tough losses? Sprawling lines of autograph hounds? Community speaking "He represents himself," McLellan says. "He's allowed to have emotion, engagements, like last weekend's gala honoring local police officers? No too. He also represents the Oilers and his teammates and hockey as a sweat. "You wouldn't know he's a hockey player, if that makes sense," whole. If he has an opinion, and it's a calculated opinion, he should be says Darnell Nurse, an Edmonton defenseman and McDavid's willing to share that." roommate. "He's not burdened by anything." McDavid, for his part, deflects credit to what McLellan calls "our larger NHL leadership group," an assembly of veterans, including Lucic, that Oilers brass designated to help his ascension into the captaincy. Roundtable: Prospects on getting drafted, their roads to the NHL "They're always giving you little pieces here and there of something that This was readily evident a month and a half ago, when SI met McDavid might have happened to them that you can learn from," McDavid says. at the 2017 NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Midway through a 20- "They're guys who are there to help you in any way they can. Our older minute interview in a hotel room at the JW Marriott, an Oilers media guys are unbelievable. They're so genuine, so caring. They want to help relations official interrupted to hand over a stack of pucks, several mini- you. They understand the league, what it's like." sticks and a silver Sharpie. "For later," the official said. McDavid, whom fans had elected captain of the Pacific Division for the 3-on-3 The Oilers, on the other hand, might argue that McDavid arrived with a tournament, shrugged. "I can multitask," he reassured, and then began perfectly firm grasp on NHL life. Nurse, who’s two years older, began scribbling his signature in robotic, practiced fashion without breaking picking up on McDavid’s strict nutritional habits. “You don’t want to be the conversational stride. guy ordering Dominoes in the middle of the night when your roommate’s eating salad,” he says. “He takes his diet to another level.” The mental "He's like the Bobby Orrs, the Wayne Gretzkys, the Sidney Crosbys, on side hasn’t been an issue, either. As McDavid plodded through his rehab that pedestal from such a young age,” says Edmonton general manager last season, Chiarelli began picking his brain about junior prospects that Peter Chiarelli. “A lot of times young guys don't grow, per se, in those Edmonton was scouting for the 2016 draft. “Sometimes guys don’t notice environments. They actually fail, because they like being on the pedestal who they’re playing against, because they’re not as good or and they're characters otherwise. His [foundation] is solid, consistent, inconsequential,” Chiarelli says. “Connor had a full book on them.” stable." As for when they began realizing that Edmonton had found its next Milan Lucic learned as much last summer, when the veteran forward was captain, several members of the organization point to McDavid's return surveying his options in free agency. Over the course of due diligence, from the collarbone injury, against Columbus on Feb. 2, 2016—all of 14 Lucic had spoken with both Chiarelli, his former GM in Boston, and games into his NHL career. Midway through the second period, he Andrew Ference, a former Bruins teammate who served as Edmonton's gained possession in the neutral zone and split two Blue Jackets captain from 2013-15. The main subject was McDavid. "Just wanted to defensemen at their blue line, toe-dragging so smoothly that one fell learn more about his personality," Lucic says. "What's he like around the down and the other wound up facing the opposite direction, before locker room? What's his attitude toward the game? Is he a hothead? Is deking past goalie Joonas Korpisalo. It remains perhaps his most he frustrated? Is he a positive guy? Does he work with his teammates?" dazzling goal to date. The reports were glowing. "You could see the skillset just by being out "At the start, I think everyone was a little suspect," Lucic says. "You hear with him on the ice," says Lucic, who ultimately signed for seven years about all these guys, and the hype, and all that type of stuff that comes and $42 million. (Lucic wasn't the only McDavid-influenced recruit that with it. But then the way he was able to play when he came back from landed in Edmonton, either; McLellan too reports he was lured by the that injury, I think it caught everyone's eyes that this kid really is the real prospect of coaching an all-world talent.) "Now being around him, he's deal. Everyone who's been talking about him being the Next One, they such a great guy, he loves the game of hockey and he values the right definitely weren't lying." things in life. He doesn't have that arrogance to him, that cockiness that he thinks he's better than you. I think that's a reason why he's the captain Says Bob Nicholson, CEO and vice chairman of Oilers Entertainment already." Group, "I'm sure the bench was going, 'Wow, this is the guy to lead us.'" Given McDavid's preordained status as Canada's latest prodigious CNN/Sports Illustrated LOADED: 03.14.2017 product—see: Orr, Gretzky, Crosby, et al.—the 20-year-old is naturally 1052793 Websites like I’m playing good but that I can be better and that’s what excites me. I still think there’s a lot of room for improvement.”

Signed for four more years (at $5.75 million annually), the continued Sportsnet.ca / Trade rumours long gone, Dougie Hamilton shines on improvement will be played out in Calgary despite future rumours sure to Flames’ top pair come. “I didn’t care at all – it’s just part of the game,” said Hamilton of the Eric Francis rumours that seem to plague him annually. “I’ve been used to it the last couple years. Just noise.”

Something he and his Flames have been making plenty of these days. In a season full of ridiculous rumours, the ones surrounding Dougie Hamilton might have been the silliest. For all the right reasons. In a league that covets big, young, mobile, puck-moving defencemen, the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 mere notion that the Flames would seriously consider moving Hamilton was pure folly. Yet, once the rumour mill gets going in today’s world, such chatter is as tough to stop as, well, his Calgary Flames of late. Winners of 10 in a row, the Flames have had heroic efforts from many during their second-half surge. However, of the handful of steadying influences in the room all season long, the 6-foot-6, 210-pound Hamilton stands above them all on the back end. For the fourth straight season the 23-year-old defenceman has established a career high in points, scoring 10 goals and adding 34 assists to sit eighth among NHL defencemen. His three assists on Saturday marked the fifth time this season he’s had a three-point night, a feat only two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson has equalled. What made it even more significant was that he entered the evening as a game-time decision. He’d left the previous outing in the second period with a scary laceration to the back of his ankle that made his medically- aided effort two nights later a painful one that required freezing. “That was a real big game for him because he was in some discomfort,” said coach Glen Gulutzan, who shut Hamilton down early in the 3-0 win over Winnipeg. “He’s been real solid all year. He’s having a great year statistically as you can see, but he’s really taken a step for us in other areas too.” Like in the locker-room, where the quiet, cerebral Toronto native is so well liked – and needed - his playing partner, Mark Giordano, jokingly offered to massage his injured ankle to ensure he’s able to stay in the lineup. “I’ll take it,” chuckled Hamilton, whose promotion to the top pairing this year says plenty about his continued progress. “This year has been a lot of fun. It obviously wasn’t the best start for me or the team, but I got to play with Gio and kind of changed everything. Playing against the other teams’ top lines is a lot different.” Drafted ninth overall by Boston in 2011, Hamilton has scored at least 10 goals and 40 points each of the last three seasons. Where he’s made his biggest strides is defensively. “He was a little more loose defensively but now he’s just more complete,” said recently-acquired blueliner Matt Bartkowski who played two years with Hamilton in Beantown. “And his offence has gotten better. You can’t beat that. He’s matured a lot and really rounded out his game. He’s quietly still getting better. He’s still pretty young and defence pretty much comes with age in this league.” Acquired by the Flames in 2015 as part of a deal still considered the biggest coup that summer, Hamilton’s start as a Flame was much like that of Brian Elliott – a catastrophe. Fans couldn’t figure out what all the hype was about and quickly suggested he was a bust as his plus-minus sunk into the double digits his first month. Once acclimatized, he’s been on a steady developmental incline to the point he’s earned kudos as one of the best young defencemen in the game. Shutting down the opposition’s top line every night helps prove that. “I don’t try to think about it too much – I just try to keep doing the things I’ve been doing,” said Hamilton when asked to assess his play this season. “It’s hard to tell – I can’t really compare myself to last year. I feel 1052794 Websites (*Goals scored minus goals allowed, without counting shootouts like the NHL does for some reason.)

Not a lot of change from last week, with the same five teams showing up Sportsnet.ca / Down Goes Brown Weekend Wrap: Are the streaking and only the Penguins shifting more than one spot. There's a case to be Calgary Flames for real? made for some new blood in the top five — I see you, Senators fans — but for now the status quo is holding strong. Sean McIndoe So instead of breaking down the same old teams, let's turn our attention to the league's hottest squad. The Calgary Flames may not be in the top- five conversation quite yet, but they won't be far off if they keep rolling like they have been. Every Monday, Sean McIndoe looks back at weekend play in the NHL and the league’s biggest storylines. You can follow him on Twitter. Saturday's 3-0 win over the Jets made it nine straight for Calgary, one short of the franchise record set back when the team was still in Atlanta. Opening faceoff: The final four It was also their second straight shutout, and the eighth game in a row that they'd held an opponent to two goals or less. That's a welcome Welcome to the home stretch. stretch for a team that looked like its season was going to slip away We’re officially four weeks away from the NHL regular season being thanks to substandard goaltending in the first half. With the back-to-back over. Four weeks from now, we’ll be spending Monday morning digesting shutouts, Brian Elliott has his save percentage up to .910 on the year. an unusually busy weekend featuring 24 games packed into Saturday That's still well back of last year's league-leading .930, but after his rough and Sunday. We’ll know who’s in and who’s out, and who’ll be playing start the Flames will take it. who. A season’s worth of speculation, second-guessing and (in some Mix in some strong play from Johnny Gaudreau (three games of three or cases) self-delusion will be over with, and 14 teams will be clearing out more points during the streak), Sean Monahan (four straight games with their lockers. a point) and Dougie Hamilton (four multi-point games over the win Now, we just have to get there. There's still a lot to sort out between now streak), and the Flames suddenly look like a team where everything is and then. clicking. One welcomed factor: The Games Played column has finally evened out. The question now is what kind of winning streak this ends up being. Not With the exception of the Hurricanes, who are a non-factor at this point, all streaks are created equal, at least in hindsight. Is this the Blue every team is within two games played of everyone else. We're all done Jackets' version, where a team we'd all mistakenly dismissed as an also- with bye weeks too, so those days of "they're six points back but have ran reveals themselves to be actual contenders? Or is it more like the five games in hand" are mercifully over. Flyers, where a mediocre team happens to hit a temporary hot streak before quickly reverting to playoff-bubble status? Flames fans have been The race for the final playoff spots in either conference will get most of down this path once already this season, winning six straight in the attention, although it's not shaping up to be quite as wide a field as December only to lose an many as they won until a four-game losing we thought we'd be getting. There are currently only three teams sitting streak in January. outside of a playoff spot by five points or fewer; the West is especially sparse, with only the Kings so much as within eight. That could still give The good news for the Flames is that even if they're more Philadelphia us some decent races down to the wire, but it's an odd sight given that it than Columbus, there's not a lot of time left for any regression to take was only a few weeks ago that almost everyone was still in it, or at least them out of the playoff race. With an eight-point lead over the Kings, close enough to pretend they were. they're not quite home free (the Kings have a game in hand), but they're close. And at this point, a better question might be: How high can they It looks like we will get some decent battles for the division crowns; first go? and second spot in three of the four divisions are separated by one point or less. The race for the Presidents' Trophy will be a good one as well, Is a run at the division title a possibility? Well, probably not – the Sharks with the faltering Capitals still leading the way but a half-dozen teams are nine points up. But home ice is absolutely in play, and the Flames within range to chase them down. And we all know how much NHL actually held down second spot for a brief time yesterday before the teams care about the Presidents' Trophy, right? Ducks nudged past them with last night's win. And it's worth noting that Calgary is in good shape for the ROW tie-breaker against both the Oilers Mix in tight races for the Art Ross and Rocket Richard, add the usual and Ducks. jockeying for Hart, Norris and Calder votes, and factor in battles for seeding and home ice, and there's plenty left to play for at the top of the Now, the bad news: The schedule gets interesting the rest of the way. league. And at the bottom, draft-lottery watchers will be focused on... Tonight serves up a tough test in the Penguins, there's a trip to [double-checks how far back the Avalanche are]... well, there's plenty left Washington still left to go, and only games against the Avalanche and to play for at the top of the league. Stars look like easy wins. And then there's the truly weird finale, where the Flames face all three California teams at home, followed by all three We've got four weeks to figure it all out. For today, it's on to the power again on the road. rankings. At the rate they're going, the Flames may not have all that much left to Road to the Cup prove by then. But assuming they cool off at some point soon, every point will be crucial the rest of the way if home ice is the goal. That's a The five teams that look like they're headed towards Stanley Cup– tough spot to be in, but it's a lot better than what they were facing just favourite status. nine games ago. 5. San Jose Sharks (41-20-7, +31 true goals differential*): Three wins in Road to the lottery four for the second straight week has them pulling away as the only division leader with any margin for error. The five teams that look like they're headed towards watching Nolan Patrick highlights and clicking refresh on draft-lottery simulations. 4. Minnesota Wild (43-18-6, +59): They dropped three of four on the week, and have now three times in their last seven after not having done 5. Vancouver Canucks (28-31-9, -41): Three straight losses to start a so all season. five-game homestand isn't good. Or maybe it is, with fourth spot in the lottery odds looking like a realistic goal. 3. Chicago Blackhawks (43-20-5, +31): It wasn't a bye week, but a five- day gap between games seemed to leave them cold. They lost a pair 4. Detroit Red Wings (26-30-11, -40): The team may not have much in after the break, including a 4–2 decision on Saturday to the lowly Red the way of top young prospects, but at least the ones they do have are Wings. But after yesterday's win over the Wild, they'll keep their status as being benched for poor play. the West's top team. 3. New Jersey Devils (25-31-12, -45): They've lost 10 straight, including 2. Pittsburgh Penguins (43-16-8, +49): Make it five straight wins to pull losses to both the Coyotes and Avalanche. The thought of somebody within one of the Caps for first place overall. And after Calgary tonight, other than Arizona or Colorado holding down a bottom-two spot has their next four come against non-playoff teams. seemed unthinkable since December, but the Devils are making a run. 1. Washington Capitals (44-17-7, +70): They hold onto the top spot for 2. Arizona Coyotes (24-35-8, -57): They've settled into a pattern over the eighth straight week. But just barely, with plenty of signs of concern their last 10 of win one, lose two. Tonight, they get the Avalanche, in — they've lost four straight, the previously red-hot offence has dried up, what might be the single-worst game on the entire season schedule. and Alex Ovechkin is mired in the worst slump of his career. 1. Colorado Avalanche (19-45-3, -89): Matt Duchene's numbers since the category. But since then they’ve won just one of nine to all but fall out of Avs' do-nothing trade deadline have been downright ugly. The slump the race. Tomorrow's game against the Leafs is probably a must-win. actually dates back even further; he hasn't managed so much as a point since Feb. 19, a streak of 10 games. • Speaking of Toronto, they've won three straight and snuck back into the East's final playoff spot with an overtime win over the Hurricanes. So... what to make of the Tampa Bay Lightning? • The Canadiens and Senators flip-flopped the Atlantic lead, with Ottawa On the one hand, they've arguably been the season's biggest taking over on Saturday to become the first team other than Montreal to disappointment. After a 5-1-0 start, they've been treading water all year hold down first place since October. The Habs then earned it back with long, stringing together more than two straight wins only once the rest of last night's win in Edmonton. the way. They fell out of a playoff spot early, and have stayed there ever since. There's a reason we're doing this in the bottom-five section instead • The Flyers' last-second loss to the Bruins on Saturday was a heart- of up top. breaker. It may also have all but ended their playoff hopes. At the deadline, Steve Yzerman seemed to fold his hand, moving Ben • Scrap of the weekend honors go to Sam Bennett and Jacob Touba, Bishop, Valtteri Filppula and Brian Boyle in deals that brought back picks who traded haymakers on Saturday night. and cap space and not much more. As the deadline buzzer sounded, • Finally, whatever you ended up doing on your weekend, just be glad Tampa Bay was five points out of a playoff spot with four teams to pass. you weren't these guys: Two Norwegian teams are believed to have set a It was a classic seller's deadline, one that seemed to clearly signal that world record for the longest hockey game ever, one that needed eight the Lightning were looking towards next year and beyond. overtimes to determine a winner. On the other hand... I mean, they're the Lightning, right? They're stacked Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 with talent. They won five playoff rounds in the last two seasons, and the core of the lineup hasn't changed much over that time. Some of us picked these guys to win the Stanley Cup this year; surely they're not going to miss the playoffs entirely. We've seen that kind of logic turn out to be wrong in the past — think back to the 2015 Kings. (Or this year's Kings, come to think of it.) This league might still insist of giving out points for losing, but so far they don't award any for reputation or pre-season plaudits. The Lightning are going to have to earn this, and right now the odds are against them. Two weeks after their deadline selloff, the Lightning's playoff position is better, although not exactly great. They're three points back of the Leafs and five points back with a game in hand on the Bruins. And maybe more importantly, they've already moved past teams like the Flyers and Panthers. Their playoff chances are sitting in the 20–per cent range on odds sites like this one and this one, up from under 10 per cent in February. Then again, those numbers only consider factors like overall records and everyone's strength of schedule. They can't account for lineup changes or the impact of injuries. The Lightning have been hit with plenty of the latter, especially during a ridiculous game on Thursday that saw them lose three centres to injuries in one night. That seemed like the sort of bad luck that could end a season, although early reports suggested the injuries the injuries may not be as bad as they first seemed. (All three players were out on Saturday against the Panthers.) Of course, "lineup changes" can also mean players coming back from injury. Like, say, a future Hall of Famer who's almost ready to return to the lineup. Steven Stamkos has been out of the lineup since knee surgery in November, but has recently been skating in full pads and looks like a guy who might be nearing a return. There was a bit of a buzz on Saturday that Stamkos could be a surprise addition to the lineup; that didn't happen, but it would appear that his return is imminent. If so, that would be a bigger March pickup than any deadline move, and could be the boost the Lightning need to make their late-season push. The odds are still against them. But you can bet that if they did manage to grab that final wild-card spot, they'd be just about the last team that a first seed would want to run into in the opening round. Quick shifts: 10 more notable moments from around the league • The biggest story of the weekend might be Henrik Lundqvist's hip injury; initial reports say the Rangers' star is expected to be out two to three weeks. If that's all he misses, the Rangers should be fine, since they're already locked into a playoff spot and may even be better off finishing fourth in the Metro and getting a crossover ticket to the weaker Atlantic. But if the problem lingers past that three-week mark, look out. • In other injury news, the Penguins will be without Carl Hagelin for a month with a lower body injury sustained on Friday night. And in Anaheim, John Gibson missed last night's game with a lower body injury. He's listed as day-to-day. • Washington's Kevin Shattenkirk will sit for two games after his high hit against Kevin Gravel. • Here's a long (but well worth it) read on the evolution of NHL coaching over the decades. • It was only a few weeks ago that the Panthers were red hot, winning five straight and moving solidly into the "trendy late-season contender" 1052795 Websites This team hasn’t played a playoff game in a decade, and over the past couple of seasons has stocked up with players like Lucic, Cam Talbot, Kris Russell and Pat Maroon who have at least accrued playoff Sportsnet.ca / Oilers leaning on veteran experience in final playoff push experience elsewhere. It is those players whose job this week is create a winning atmosphere, rather than—as former Flyers coach Terry Murray NHL insider Chris Johnston joins the Jeff Blair Show to discuss how the once described in Philly — “a choking situation.” tight the races are for individual NHL awards so far this season. “It’s getting the guys to realize that you can’t look too far down the road, even though now it is a sprint,” Lucic said. “Worry more about the process, the system. What’s made you a good team up to this point, Mark Spector March 13, 2017, 7:07 PM other than wins and losses. “You try to be a calming presence. Build the guys up, create confidence. Let them know that, ‘Hey, we’ve been a good team for a greater part of The tweeted theme of the local sports radio show in Edmonton Monday the season.’ The players in this room have been really good players … morning was succinct: “Is it time to panic?” and we’re going to need that from here on out.” Yes, in a town that has not had a clue how to handle a Top 10 National Edmonton’s season has in fact been a relatively straight line, with few Hockey League club all season long, fans also don’t know how to act major slumps or winning tears. They’ve been a Top 3 team in the Pacific when that team hits the skids with 14 games to go in the season. all season, until the weekend. If success is new ground here, so then is watching Calgary creeping past But does that matter when Calgary passes you by while winning nine in the standings, and having the St. Louis Blues and Los Angles Kings in straight? It’s like a 10,000 metre Olympic race: Does anyone care who the rearview mirror. led the most laps when they’re handing out the medals? What’s a poor Northern Albertan to do? “Panic and apprehension isn’t going to help our group,” said McLellan, “Have fun with it,” said winger Milan Lucic, flashing a toothy smile under the chief babysitter of a team that is less fragile than simply one of hockey’s truly menacing hook noses. “It’s a fun time of year, it’s inexperienced on playing these stressful games in March. “We have to almost spring time—even though it doesn’t feel like it (with a fresh foot of learn to navigate our way through the ups and downs. This segment of snow around). As a competitor, this is the time of year you want to be 10 or 12 games we could drop it anywhere we want in the season (and it playing in games like this. wouldn’t be a major concern). We need to behave that way rather than get uptight because it’s near the end of the year. “Stick to the system, play the right way, not cheating (in search of) goals… We’ve shown we’re a good team. We can’t let frustration and “Some of that is experience. The veteran players who’ve been through it doubt creep into our minds.” before are saying the right things and we’re trying to handle the group the right way. As a coaching staff and we’ll keep that going.” Pacific Division Standings Losing a shootout to Pittsburgh? OK. Pacific GP W L OT PTS Dropping a game to Montreal that you led with seven minutes to play? San Jose 68 41 20 7 89 Not as acceptable, but it happens. Anaheim 69 36 23 10 82 Lose to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night at Rogers Place? In a must- win game in mid-March? Calgary 68 38 26 4 80 Try that, and you’ll see a hockey town in full panic mode. Edmonton 68 35 24 9 79 Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 Los Angeles 67 33 28 6 72 Vancouver 68 28 31 9 65 Arizona 67 24 35 8 56 Yeah, sure. Tell that to the nervous guy whose friends in Calgary are burning up his Facebook page. Or a clearly tired Leon Draisaitl, whose season began back in August with a German Olympic qualifying tournament, then the World Cup, and now 68 NHL games. He has one goal in his last 10 games, while manning the right wing of the NHL’s assists leader, Connor McDavid. “I haven’t been good lately and I know that, I’m well aware of that,” said the 21-year-old. “I’m a player—I like to play good. Obviously I think about it. Lately I haven’t been playing the way I can. For me it’s just a matter of getting back to what I’m good at. I’m going to make sure I start Tuesday.” The Oilers outplayed Pittsburgh for 40 minutes on Friday and lost in a shootout. The theory went, that was supposed to manifest itself Sunday when the Montreal Canadiens rolled through town. In practice however, the Habs were the better team in a 4-1 win. Now, this eight-game home stand concludes with games against Dallas, Boston, Vancouver and L.A.—four teams below Edmonton in the standings. In theory… “I think anybody is a good opponent for us right now,” said head coach Todd McLellan, who isn’t biting on the easier opponent angle. “The competition we’ve played over the last little bit has been top notch teams and they’ve pushed us. We’ve pushed back, just ended up on the short end. “Dallas is an offensive time bomb. They have the ability to explode at any point and score a ton of goals, so we’ll have our hands full with that. The opportunity that’s ahead of us is what we’re looking forward to.” Visiting the Oilers dressing room on Monday, or even after that loss to the Canadiens Sunday evening, the vibe you get is definitely a therapeutic one. As opposed to an aura where an expectant, winning organization goes to the whip. 1052796 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Frederik Andersen talks early struggles, Maple Leafs rookies

Mike Johnston

Frederik Andersen’s time with the Toronto Maple Leafs got off to a rough start. Through his first five games he was 1-1-3 with a 4.40 goals-against average and .851 save percentage. A lot has changed since then. “I think in the beginning of the year I put [pressure] on myself a little bit too much and as the first few games went along I realized I just gotta go out and play my game and have some fun then the results will come,” the netminder told Hockey Central at Noon Monday. In his five most recent starts he’s 3-1-1 with a 2.00 GAA and .942 save percentage. The 27-year-old admitted there was a learning curve to playing in a pressure-filled market like Toronto. “If you get caught up too much into it, it can wear on your mind a little bit too much and it makes you try a little bit too hard,” Andersen explained. “I just settled down and figured that I just have to be myself. That was the biggest thing for me and that way you can just enjoy it.” His overall 27-14-13 record, 2.69 GAA, .917 save percentage and three shutouts are middle-of-the-pack numbers, although his 11.2 Goalie Point Shares ranks fourth in the NHL behind Devan Dubnyk (12.3), Sergei Bobrovsky (12.1) and Cam Talbot (11.9). Any goalie who faces the likes of rising stars Auston Matthews, William Nylander and Mitchell Marner in practice on a daily basis is bound to improve and that’s what we’ve seen with Andersen. “They have some amazing releases, especially [Matthews],” Andersen said. “He shoots it so hard and quick. [Nylander] as well. I’m sure you saw the other night how Willie placed that shot and how quick he got it off…Marner’s just a little bit more of a knuckle puck compared to Matthews. Marns has a really good shot as well. He gets it off pretty quick sometimes and it’ll surprise you too.” Andersen is coming off back-to-back 36-save outings and a three-game winning streak that has the Maple Leafs currently occupying the second wild card in the East. Andersen has already set a career high with 55 starts this season and with crucial road games against the Panthers Tuesday and Lightning Thursday, Andersen’s teammates will be relying on him to be sharp and lead the way. “I’ve been really focused on making sure I’m rested and taking care of my body every time I come off the ice,” he added. “I think that’s been the key part to feeling good and fresh.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052797 Websites (*Goals scored minus goals allowed, without counting shootouts like the NHL does for some reason.)

Not a lot of change from last week, with the same five teams showing up Sportsnet.ca / Down Goes Brown Weekend Wrap: Are the streaking and only the Penguins shifting more than one spot. There's a case to be Calgary Flames for real? made for some new blood in the top five — I see you, Senators fans — but for now the status quo is holding strong. Sean McIndoe So instead of breaking down the same old teams, let's turn our attention to the league's hottest squad. The Calgary Flames may not be in the top- five conversation quite yet, but they won't be far off if they keep rolling like they have been. Every Monday, Sean McIndoe looks back at weekend play in the NHL and the league’s biggest storylines. You can follow him on Twitter. Saturday's 3-0 win over the Jets made it nine straight for Calgary, one short of the franchise record set back when the team was still in Atlanta. Opening faceoff: The final four It was also their second straight shutout, and the eighth game in a row that they'd held an opponent to two goals or less. That's a welcome Welcome to the home stretch. stretch for a team that looked like its season was going to slip away We’re officially four weeks away from the NHL regular season being thanks to substandard goaltending in the first half. With the back-to-back over. Four weeks from now, we’ll be spending Monday morning digesting shutouts, Brian Elliott has his save percentage up to .910 on the year. an unusually busy weekend featuring 24 games packed into Saturday That's still well back of last year's league-leading .930, but after his rough and Sunday. We’ll know who’s in and who’s out, and who’ll be playing start the Flames will take it. who. A season’s worth of speculation, second-guessing and (in some Mix in some strong play from Johnny Gaudreau (three games of three or cases) self-delusion will be over with, and 14 teams will be clearing out more points during the streak), Sean Monahan (four straight games with their lockers. a point) and Dougie Hamilton (four multi-point games over the win Now, we just have to get there. There's still a lot to sort out between now streak), and the Flames suddenly look like a team where everything is and then. clicking. One welcomed factor: The Games Played column has finally evened out. The question now is what kind of winning streak this ends up being. Not With the exception of the Hurricanes, who are a non-factor at this point, all streaks are created equal, at least in hindsight. Is this the Blue every team is within two games played of everyone else. We're all done Jackets' version, where a team we'd all mistakenly dismissed as an also- with bye weeks too, so those days of "they're six points back but have ran reveals themselves to be actual contenders? Or is it more like the five games in hand" are mercifully over. Flyers, where a mediocre team happens to hit a temporary hot streak before quickly reverting to playoff-bubble status? Flames fans have been The race for the final playoff spots in either conference will get most of down this path once already this season, winning six straight in the attention, although it's not shaping up to be quite as wide a field as December only to lose an many as they won until a four-game losing we thought we'd be getting. There are currently only three teams sitting streak in January. outside of a playoff spot by five points or fewer; the West is especially sparse, with only the Kings so much as within eight. That could still give The good news for the Flames is that even if they're more Philadelphia us some decent races down to the wire, but it's an odd sight given that it than Columbus, there's not a lot of time left for any regression to take was only a few weeks ago that almost everyone was still in it, or at least them out of the playoff race. With an eight-point lead over the Kings, close enough to pretend they were. they're not quite home free (the Kings have a game in hand), but they're close. And at this point, a better question might be: How high can they It looks like we will get some decent battles for the division crowns; first go? and second spot in three of the four divisions are separated by one point or less. The race for the Presidents' Trophy will be a good one as well, Is a run at the division title a possibility? Well, probably not – the Sharks with the faltering Capitals still leading the way but a half-dozen teams are nine points up. But home ice is absolutely in play, and the Flames within range to chase them down. And we all know how much NHL actually held down second spot for a brief time yesterday before the teams care about the Presidents' Trophy, right? Ducks nudged past them with last night's win. And it's worth noting that Calgary is in good shape for the ROW tie-breaker against both the Oilers Mix in tight races for the Art Ross and Rocket Richard, add the usual and Ducks. jockeying for Hart, Norris and Calder votes, and factor in battles for seeding and home ice, and there's plenty left to play for at the top of the Now, the bad news: The schedule gets interesting the rest of the way. league. And at the bottom, draft-lottery watchers will be focused on... Tonight serves up a tough test in the Penguins, there's a trip to [double-checks how far back the Avalanche are]... well, there's plenty left Washington still left to go, and only games against the Avalanche and to play for at the top of the league. Stars look like easy wins. And then there's the truly weird finale, where the Flames face all three California teams at home, followed by all three We've got four weeks to figure it all out. For today, it's on to the power again on the road. rankings. At the rate they're going, the Flames may not have all that much left to Road to the Cup prove by then. But assuming they cool off at some point soon, every point will be crucial the rest of the way if home ice is the goal. That's a The five teams that look like they're headed towards Stanley Cup– tough spot to be in, but it's a lot better than what they were facing just favourite status. nine games ago. 5. San Jose Sharks (41-20-7, +31 true goals differential*): Three wins in Road to the lottery four for the second straight week has them pulling away as the only division leader with any margin for error. The five teams that look like they're headed towards watching Nolan Patrick highlights and clicking refresh on draft-lottery simulations. 4. Minnesota Wild (43-18-6, +59): They dropped three of four on the week, and have now three times in their last seven after not having done 5. Vancouver Canucks (28-31-9, -41): Three straight losses to start a so all season. five-game homestand isn't good. Or maybe it is, with fourth spot in the lottery odds looking like a realistic goal. 3. Chicago Blackhawks (43-20-5, +31): It wasn't a bye week, but a five- day gap between games seemed to leave them cold. They lost a pair 4. Detroit Red Wings (26-30-11, -40): The team may not have much in after the break, including a 4–2 decision on Saturday to the lowly Red the way of top young prospects, but at least the ones they do have are Wings. But after yesterday's win over the Wild, they'll keep their status as being benched for poor play. the West's top team. 3. New Jersey Devils (25-31-12, -45): They've lost 10 straight, including 2. Pittsburgh Penguins (43-16-8, +49): Make it five straight wins to pull losses to both the Coyotes and Avalanche. The thought of somebody within one of the Caps for first place overall. And after Calgary tonight, other than Arizona or Colorado holding down a bottom-two spot has their next four come against non-playoff teams. seemed unthinkable since December, but the Devils are making a run. 1. Washington Capitals (44-17-7, +70): They hold onto the top spot for 2. Arizona Coyotes (24-35-8, -57): They've settled into a pattern over the eighth straight week. But just barely, with plenty of signs of concern their last 10 of win one, lose two. Tonight, they get the Avalanche, in — they've lost four straight, the previously red-hot offence has dried up, what might be the single-worst game on the entire season schedule. and Alex Ovechkin is mired in the worst slump of his career. 1. Colorado Avalanche (19-45-3, -89): Matt Duchene's numbers since the category. But since then they’ve won just one of nine to all but fall out of Avs' do-nothing trade deadline have been downright ugly. The slump the race. Tomorrow's game against the Leafs is probably a must-win. actually dates back even further; he hasn't managed so much as a point since Feb. 19, a streak of 10 games. • Speaking of Toronto, they've won three straight and snuck back into the East's final playoff spot with an overtime win over the Hurricanes. So... what to make of the Tampa Bay Lightning? • The Canadiens and Senators flip-flopped the Atlantic lead, with Ottawa On the one hand, they've arguably been the season's biggest taking over on Saturday to become the first team other than Montreal to disappointment. After a 5-1-0 start, they've been treading water all year hold down first place since October. The Habs then earned it back with long, stringing together more than two straight wins only once the rest of last night's win in Edmonton. the way. They fell out of a playoff spot early, and have stayed there ever since. There's a reason we're doing this in the bottom-five section instead • The Flyers' last-second loss to the Bruins on Saturday was a heart- of up top. breaker. It may also have all but ended their playoff hopes. At the deadline, Steve Yzerman seemed to fold his hand, moving Ben • Scrap of the weekend honors go to Sam Bennett and Jacob Touba, Bishop, Valtteri Filppula and Brian Boyle in deals that brought back picks who traded haymakers on Saturday night. and cap space and not much more. As the deadline buzzer sounded, • Finally, whatever you ended up doing on your weekend, just be glad Tampa Bay was five points out of a playoff spot with four teams to pass. you weren't these guys: Two Norwegian teams are believed to have set a It was a classic seller's deadline, one that seemed to clearly signal that world record for the longest hockey game ever, one that needed eight the Lightning were looking towards next year and beyond. overtimes to determine a winner. On the other hand... I mean, they're the Lightning, right? They're stacked Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 with talent. They won five playoff rounds in the last two seasons, and the core of the lineup hasn't changed much over that time. Some of us picked these guys to win the Stanley Cup this year; surely they're not going to miss the playoffs entirely. We've seen that kind of logic turn out to be wrong in the past — think back to the 2015 Kings. (Or this year's Kings, come to think of it.) This league might still insist of giving out points for losing, but so far they don't award any for reputation or pre-season plaudits. The Lightning are going to have to earn this, and right now the odds are against them. Two weeks after their deadline selloff, the Lightning's playoff position is better, although not exactly great. They're three points back of the Leafs and five points back with a game in hand on the Bruins. And maybe more importantly, they've already moved past teams like the Flyers and Panthers. Their playoff chances are sitting in the 20–per cent range on odds sites like this one and this one, up from under 10 per cent in February. Then again, those numbers only consider factors like overall records and everyone's strength of schedule. They can't account for lineup changes or the impact of injuries. The Lightning have been hit with plenty of the latter, especially during a ridiculous game on Thursday that saw them lose three centres to injuries in one night. That seemed like the sort of bad luck that could end a season, although early reports suggested the injuries the injuries may not be as bad as they first seemed. (All three players were out on Saturday against the Panthers.) Of course, "lineup changes" can also mean players coming back from injury. Like, say, a future Hall of Famer who's almost ready to return to the lineup. Steven Stamkos has been out of the lineup since knee surgery in November, but has recently been skating in full pads and looks like a guy who might be nearing a return. There was a bit of a buzz on Saturday that Stamkos could be a surprise addition to the lineup; that didn't happen, but it would appear that his return is imminent. If so, that would be a bigger March pickup than any deadline move, and could be the boost the Lightning need to make their late-season push. The odds are still against them. But you can bet that if they did manage to grab that final wild-card spot, they'd be just about the last team that a first seed would want to run into in the opening round. Quick shifts: 10 more notable moments from around the league • The biggest story of the weekend might be Henrik Lundqvist's hip injury; initial reports say the Rangers' star is expected to be out two to three weeks. If that's all he misses, the Rangers should be fine, since they're already locked into a playoff spot and may even be better off finishing fourth in the Metro and getting a crossover ticket to the weaker Atlantic. But if the problem lingers past that three-week mark, look out. • In other injury news, the Penguins will be without Carl Hagelin for a month with a lower body injury sustained on Friday night. And in Anaheim, John Gibson missed last night's game with a lower body injury. He's listed as day-to-day. • Washington's Kevin Shattenkirk will sit for two games after his high hit against Kevin Gravel. • Here's a long (but well worth it) read on the evolution of NHL coaching over the decades. • It was only a few weeks ago that the Panthers were red hot, winning five straight and moving solidly into the "trendy late-season contender" 1052798 Websites like I’m playing good but that I can be better and that’s what excites me. I still think there’s a lot of room for improvement.”

Signed for four more years (at $5.75 million annually), the continued Sportsnet.ca / Trade rumours long gone, Dougie Hamilton shines on improvement will be played out in Calgary despite future rumours sure to Flames’ top pair come. “I didn’t care at all – it’s just part of the game,” said Hamilton of the Eric Francis rumours that seem to plague him annually. “I’ve been used to it the last couple years. Just noise.”

Something he and his Flames have been making plenty of these days. In a season full of ridiculous rumours, the ones surrounding Dougie Hamilton might have been the silliest. For all the right reasons. In a league that covets big, young, mobile, puck-moving defencemen, the Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 mere notion that the Flames would seriously consider moving Hamilton was pure folly. Yet, once the rumour mill gets going in today’s world, such chatter is as tough to stop as, well, his Calgary Flames of late. Winners of 10 in a row, the Flames have had heroic efforts from many during their second-half surge. However, of the handful of steadying influences in the room all season long, the 6-foot-6, 210-pound Hamilton stands above them all on the back end. For the fourth straight season the 23-year-old defenceman has established a career high in points, scoring 10 goals and adding 34 assists to sit eighth among NHL defencemen. His three assists on Saturday marked the fifth time this season he’s had a three-point night, a feat only two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson has equalled. What made it even more significant was that he entered the evening as a game-time decision. He’d left the previous outing in the second period with a scary laceration to the back of his ankle that made his medically- aided effort two nights later a painful one that required freezing. “That was a real big game for him because he was in some discomfort,” said coach Glen Gulutzan, who shut Hamilton down early in the 3-0 win over Winnipeg. “He’s been real solid all year. He’s having a great year statistically as you can see, but he’s really taken a step for us in other areas too.” Like in the locker-room, where the quiet, cerebral Toronto native is so well liked – and needed - his playing partner, Mark Giordano, jokingly offered to massage his injured ankle to ensure he’s able to stay in the lineup. “I’ll take it,” chuckled Hamilton, whose promotion to the top pairing this year says plenty about his continued progress. “This year has been a lot of fun. It obviously wasn’t the best start for me or the team, but I got to play with Gio and kind of changed everything. Playing against the other teams’ top lines is a lot different.” Drafted ninth overall by Boston in 2011, Hamilton has scored at least 10 goals and 40 points each of the last three seasons. Where he’s made his biggest strides is defensively. “He was a little more loose defensively but now he’s just more complete,” said recently-acquired blueliner Matt Bartkowski who played two years with Hamilton in Beantown. “And his offence has gotten better. You can’t beat that. He’s matured a lot and really rounded out his game. He’s quietly still getting better. He’s still pretty young and defence pretty much comes with age in this league.” Acquired by the Flames in 2015 as part of a deal still considered the biggest coup that summer, Hamilton’s start as a Flame was much like that of Brian Elliott – a catastrophe. Fans couldn’t figure out what all the hype was about and quickly suggested he was a bust as his plus-minus sunk into the double digits his first month. Once acclimatized, he’s been on a steady developmental incline to the point he’s earned kudos as one of the best young defencemen in the game. Shutting down the opposition’s top line every night helps prove that. “I don’t try to think about it too much – I just try to keep doing the things I’ve been doing,” said Hamilton when asked to assess his play this season. “It’s hard to tell – I can’t really compare myself to last year. I feel 1052799 Websites “You come over here and they treat you very well and you get to play hockey for a living and get to experience the world,” he said. “I’ve never really thought about [doing anything else].” Sportsnet.ca / What it’s like to play in a hockey game with eight overtime Hamar is a city of about 30,000 people and has provided a nice home for periods Tenute, wife Najah and son Jacksen, who is almost two. The couple is also expecting a baby girl. Chris Johnston “People are crazy about hockey here,” he said. “You go to the grocery store, you go to the mall, and everyone knows you. The people are really friendly and really into hockey.” Joey Tenute has seen some things during a hockey career that’s taken him from Sarnia to South Carolina, Hershey to Helsinki, and featured Over the years, Tenute’s been both a Sting and a Stingray, not to stops in Germany, Austria and Sweden along the way. mention a Bear, Lion, Colt, Bulldog, Redhawk and Freezer, among others. But the Hamilton native has never played in anything remotely resembling the 11-period playoff game that started at 6 p.m. in Hamar, He won a Calder Cup with Hershey in 2006 and realized his dream of Norway on Sunday night and didn’t finish until after 2:30 a.m. Monday playing in the NHL. He called 15-year-old Sasha Barkov a teammate in morning. Tampere, played alongside a young Brendan Gallagher in Hamilton and has shared a dressing room with numerous other current NHL players. “I can’t describe the feeling of really thinking the game would never end,” Tenute told Sportsnet in an interview. “I can’t imagine that that could However, when his playing days are eventually behind him Tenute even exist. Playing in something like that, it’s surreal. The longer it got, it figures the 11-period game in Norway might end up being the fondest almost seemed like it was dangerous to an extent. memory of all. “Guys are getting their groins taped, guys are battling, everyone’s “To experience something like that last night with these guys, that’s a cramping up – it was just something I’ve never experienced before.” story for your grandkids,” he said. “Playing in a game like that, it’s hard to see that ever happening again. It’s being hailed as the longest game in hockey history, outpacing a 1936 playoff matchup between the Montreal Maroons and Detroit Red Wings “If it does, I’ll be amazed.” by more than 40 minutes. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 Longest hockey games in history 1. 2017, Norway, Storhamar Hockey vs. Sparta , 217:14 2. 1936, NHL, Detroit Red Wings vs. Montreal Maroons, 176:30 3. 2008, Germany, Kolner Haie vs. Adler Mannheim, 168:16 4. 2015, Belarus, Yunost Minsk vs. HK Gomel, 165:11 (via International Federation) It ended – mercifully – at 17:14 of the eighth overtime when Tenute’s Storhamar Hockey teammate, Joakim Jensen, beat Sparta Sarpsborg goalie Samuel Ward on a solo rush for a 2-1 victory. Prior to that, it was merely survival. “You don’t even know what to do: Guys are eating pizza in between periods,” said Tenute. “You’re just kind of doing what you’ve got to do to get through the game. The trainers are coming around and passing out fruit and bread and peanut butter and jam. There was pizza and pasta in the dressing room. “It was kind of like a blur in the moment.” One way he managed to track the passing of time? There are normally 20 or 30 kids hanging over the railing for high-fives when the Storhamar players take the ice. By the end, it was down to one or two. “Their parents had to take them home to bed,” said Tenute. He remembers how desperately he wanted teammate Lars Lokken Ostli to score on a penalty shot in the sixth or seventh overtime. Alas, the defenceman was denied. Both teams also failed to covert on multiple power plays after regulation time. Incredibly, they’ll be back at it again on Tuesday night with Storhamar now leading 3-2 in the series and trying to close things out on the road at Sarpsborg. The morning after a Game 5 that seemed like it might never end, Tenute and his teammates were on the training table getting treatment. There was also a short team meeting, but they didn’t review any game tape. “It’s tough to break down 11 periods of hockey,” he said. There was still a hint of disbelief in Tenute’s voice when we spoke almost exactly 24 hours after the marathon game started. The 33-year-old centre has carved out a well-travelled and varied playing career. He’s a former Ontario Hockey League standout who appeared in one NHL game with Washington during Alex Ovechkin’s rookie season, and still has two years left on his deal with Storhamar. 1052800 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Former Oilers star Ryan Smyth injured by ‘dirty’ elbow at Senior AAA game

Mike Johnston

Former Edmonton Oilers fan favourite Ryan Smyth was injured Sunday during a Senior AAA hockey game in Alberta after being on the receiving end of an illegal elbow. Smyth, who has been playing for the Stony Plain Eagles, was knocked out by Lacombe Generals forward Kyle Sheen midway through the third period of Game 1 of a provincial finals series moments after Smyth had scored a go-ahead goal. It looks as though Sheen left his feet as he landed the elbow. Eagles general manager Rob Sklaruk released the following statement. Statement regarding @RealSmytty94 as he recovers from a blatant head shot last evening in a G1 victory. Thank you for all of the kind words pic.twitter.com/pCrMlikwUr — StonyPlainEagles (@stonyplaineagl1) March 12, 2017 Thankfully, Smyth appears to have avoided a serious injury and updated his status on Twitter late Sunday. Thank you all for the well wishes. I'm home resting with my family & hoping for a speedy recovery. The EMT's and Eagles staff were amazing. — Ryan Smyth (@RealSmytty94) March 13, 2017 Sheen received a match penalty and the league will review the incident. “It was a dirty hit,” Eagles head coach Mike Tavaroli said. “Smytty was down and wasn’t moving…He’s been suspended before and he’s even targeted Ryan before.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052801 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Report: Maple Leafs increasing ticket prices in effort to hurt scalpers

Mike Johnston

The fact the Toronto Maple Leafs will be increasing tickets prices won’t surprise hockey fans. The rationale behind the latest price hike, however, might raise some eyebrows. Season ticket renewals for the team opened Monday and prices will increase between $7-16 per game in season ticket packages. According to Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) chief commercial officer David Hopkinson, this will impact those who sell tickets on the secondary market and ultimately have a positive impact on Maple Leafs fans. Hopkinson believes the prices on secondary market tickets won’t increase and therefore result in dwindling profits for scalpers, which could mean more tickets being available to fans. “If we don’t price the tickets appropriately versus what the market is going to pay for them, guess what happens,” Hopkinson told Morgan Campbell of the Toronto Star. “The tickets don’t get cheaper. Just other guys make the money…and that doesn’t help your hockey team. That doesn’t help us get better.” The team is also changing its billing cycle from eight months to 12 months with automatic renewals, which according to Hopkinson will also deter scalpers. “There is a significant arbitrage here that we’ve got to try and close,” Hopkinson added. “Someone’s going to end up with the money, and we’d rather it’s not a guy in a parka.” The on-ice product has taken a massive leap forward this season, due mostly to the influx of young, burgeoning stars on the team. That means MLSE won’t have any problem selling out the Air Canada Centre in the near future – even with the price increase. According to the Star, the team projects 99.6 per cent of current season ticket holders will renew. In November, the Maple Leafs were ranked third on Forbes' list of the most valuable NHL franchises at $1.1 billion behind the New York Rangers ($1.25 billion) and Montreal Canadiens ($1.12 billion). Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052802 Websites

TSN.CA / 5 Minute Abbs: Canucks vs Bruins

By Jon Abbott

1) The Canucks reached across the pond to bring in Shore. The latest addition to the Canucks lineup is former Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers forward, Drew Shore. The 26 year-old arrived from Switzerland on Sunday and will dress for the Canucks, wearing number 42 this evening. Shore has played almost one season worth of games (82) in the NHL, but most recently laced them up for Kloten HC, where he led the team in goals and points with 24-24-48. Shore has played with both Markus Granlund and Sven Baertschi while with the Flames organization. 2) Vancouver also announced the signing of defenceman Jalen Chatfield, out of the Ontario Hockey League. The 20 year-old patrols the blueline for Windsor and has 8-12-20 and finished las season with 37 points. Chatfield will be part of a Spitfires team that hosts the Memorial Cup this season. Another 20-year old signee is Zack MacEwen of the Gatineau Olympique who has 29 goals to this point in the season and is second on the team with 71 points. 3) The club record for players to appear in the lineup during the season is 42, back in 1990-1991. Last year the Canucks used 37 players. Tonight, Shore represents the 37th player to dress in at least one game for Vancouver again this year. Of the 37, three are goaltenders and that does not include Thatcher Demko, Michael Garteig or Matt Hewitt, who have all served as a back-up this season, but did not see any game action. The Canucks will not have the services of Chris Tanev, Nikolay Goldobin, Loui Eriksson, Jack Skille, Jacob Markstrom, Erik Gudbranson, Derek Dorsett or Anton Rodin when the face the Bruins tonight. 4) The 2011 Stanley Cup Final will not be forgotten by either franchise, for different reasons, of course. The Bruins will dress six players in tonight’s game that battled to a Cup win in 2011. Vancouver will dress only four players that remember what it was like to go all the way to a seventh game of the finals that post-season. That includes Canucks assistant coach, Doug Jarvis, who was on the Boston bench at the time. 5) The Bruins have not missed the playoffs in three consecutive seasons since before Bobby Orr became a legend in Bruins colours. After firing Claude Julien, the B’s employed Bruce Cassidy to try and snap the streak of near playoff misses. Boston has lost out in narrow margin to Detroit and Pittsburgh over the last two seasons. Entering this evening 10-3 under Cassidy, the B’s appear to control their own playoff fate and could even match-up against their old coach and his Canadiens if things really change in the Atlantic. Game Time: 7pmPT with @HockeyAbbs /@DTSN1040 TSN1040 + Canucks Radio Network TSN1040.ca + TSN GO + iHeart Radio App TSN.CA LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052803 Websites there and not give the group its best chance to win." Babcock said Carrick wasn't involved in much contact during the workout and is still "a ways away." Martin Marincin remained paired with Jake Gardiner at TSN.CA / Matthews thinking smaller amid scoring slump Monday’s practice. The Slovak played just 12:17 on Saturday as he returned to the lineup after sitting 16 straight games as a healthy scratch.

* Lines at Monday's practice: By Mark Masters Hyman-Matthews-Brown

Komarov-Kadri-Nylander TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes from Maple Leafs practices and game-day skates. The team practised at van Riemsdyk-Fehr-Marner the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., on Monday. Martin-Boyle-Soshnikov - Auston Matthews has gone five games without a point matching his Leivo longest drought of the season. How's he dealing with the dry spell? "I definitely want to contribute," he said, "you go through stretches like this Rielly-Zaitsev and the main thing is just to stay positive." Does he feel like he's in a slump? "Just want to go out there and play hockey," Matthews said Gardiner-Marincin before the reporter finished the question. "Just want to go out and play Hunwick-Polak hockey and have fun. I think that's the most important thing and right now we're winning, so you have to be happy with that." Matthews is averaging Marchenko-Carrick 3.4 shots per game, but has fired just four shots on target in the last three games. Matthews has also been below 50 per cent Corsi in six of the last Andersen seven games. He believes the key to getting back on track is focusing on McElhinney the smaller 10-foot plays. "Things are tight so you're not going to be really wheeling the puck through the neutral zone a lot," he explained, TSN.CA LOADED: 03.14.2017 "it's a lot of those little plays in tight and in tight areas and all over the ice so I think that's the most important thing." Matthews also went five games without a point during a stretch of games from Oct. 27 to Nov. 3. Head coach Mike Babcock is stressing the positives when it comes to the Matthews drought. "His line did a good job the other night," the coach said. "There was no room at all in Carolina. If you're a fan at home you think it's an ugly game. I think it's a thing of beauty, actually, when there's no room out there, so it was a good game." So, he's not worried at all? "I noticed [Alexander Ovechkin] didn't have one [goal] in 10. I don't think they're that worried about Ovie so I'm not going to spend too much time [worrying]." - Babcock has rotated right wingers on the Matthews line quite a bit of late. On Saturday in Raleigh, it was William Nylander. At Monday's practice it was Connor Brown. "What I like about Brownie and [Zach] Hyman and Auston together is they can play against anybody. No matter who they want to match-up against they're going to spend a ton of time in the O zone. Willie and Auston play more on the rush when they're together and the other guys play more on the cycle." Matthews insists it's not a big adjustment whether he skates with Nylander or Brown. "It doesn't change much," he said. "I'm a shooter either way. It doesn't matter who I play with, it's kind of a shoot-first mentality. They're both different players, but they both make plays. They're both really strong on the puck." Matthews has never been through a playoff race like this in his young career. Last season, his ZSC Lions were league frontrunners in Switzerland. "Right now, you know, we're in a good position," he said. "It's a tight race. This is what we want to be in and you kind of live for these moments and definitely want to make the most of it." Babcock is happy with how his young group has responded to the stress of the stretch drive. "We play in a big game tomorrow, but I think, to me, that's what the fun's all about," the coach noted. "If you're not enjoying this, then what are you doing? You should be having a riot." - Tyler Bozak missed Monday's practice as he continues to deal with an undisclosed injury issue. Last week, the centre also missed Thursday's morning skate and Friday's practice. The Leafs didn't have a morning skate Saturday in Carolina and then took Sunday off. "Bozie hasn't skated in a bit so our people are all over that," Babcock said. "We'll manage that the best we can." Bozak worked out off the ice on Monday and is expected to play on Tuesday. During Thursday's game, Bozak was sitting on a blue cushion on the bench similar to the one used by Joffrey Lupul when he battled some back issues. Bozak, who will turn 31 on Sunday, recently joked that his body isn't as kind to him now that he's getting older. And yet, the recent results have been fairly positive for the veteran pivot, who has picked up at least a point in five straight (two goals, five assists). "He's doing whatever he can to get out there and play," said linemate James van Riemsdyk after Saturday's win. "You always appreciate that, when guys are going the extra mile to play in these big games. We need him." - Defenceman Connor Carrick practised with the Leafs on Monday for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury in a game on Feb. 21 against the Winnipeg Jets. "It's more of a day-by-day thing," Carrick said when asked when he may play again. "Let's be honest, these are very important games and we got capable depth all throughout our lineup. If you're not ready, you know, it's a pretty selfish thing to throw yourself out 1052804 Websites

TSN.CA / Addition of Golden Knights curbs appeal of tanking

By Frank Seravalli

The New Jersey Devils are owned by Joshua Harris, the same Joshua Harris who owns the Philadelphia 76ers – the basketball franchise that placed such an emphasis on losing that it required NBA intervention to break out of tank mode. Despite that, Devils general manager Ray Shero swears his team isn’t tanking. It has just been an ugly run in New Jersey. “It’s important for us to continue to be a competitive hockey team,” Shero said last week. “It’s the evolution of this hockey team. We want both competitive hockey players and people working for us. That’s the direction we have to go. “We have some talented players coming, but we need more.” The Devils happen to be plummeting in the standings at the best possible time, dropping 10 straight games (0-8-2) since Feb. 19. New Jersey has been shut out three times in that span, outscored by a 33-19 margin, and dropped back-to-back games last weekend to Arizona and Colorado – the only two teams below them in the standings. As a result, the Devils have slid from 22nd to 28th place – more than doubling their odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft lottery from 4.5 per cent to 10.3 per cent. The 2017 NHL Draft Lottery will take place on April 29. The one problem for the Devils - or any other team interested in improving their odds – is that tanking has been slightly disincentivized this year with the addition of the Vegas Golden Knights. The Golden Knights are guaranteed lottery odds equal to the 28th-place finisher in the standings, decreasing the probability for the No. 1 pick for every non-playoff team, including the team that finishes last. Last spring, the Toronto Maple Leafs had a 20 per cent shot at Auston Matthews by virtue of their 30th-place finish. This year, the Colorado Avalanche – who are barely on track to break 50 points with one of the worst regular seasons in the last 20 years – would have a 17.9 per cent shot at No. 1 overall, according to calculations from HockeyViz.com. Most of the other teams will experience a one per cent drop in odds. The fact that Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier – the two players battling it out to be No. 1 – aren’t expected to make the same immediate impact as Matthews has also kept teams focused on closing out the season in a winning fashion. Outside of the Panthers, who are falling out of the playoff race with an 0- 4-1 run since March 1, only the Detroit Red Wings, with one win in six games, have struggled as much as the Devils. New Jersey sold off Kyle Quincey and P.A. Parenteau at the deadline; Detroit traded away Thomas Vanek, Brendan Smith and Steve Ott. Even if the odds aren’t appreciably increasing for No. 1 overall, the Devils and Wings have a combined 21 picks in this year’s draft to try and better position themselves. Other teams around New Jersey and Detroit have kept winning. The Canucks, Hurricanes and Sabres have all earned at least five points in their last six games. Piling up the wins now has only increased the misery in Vancouver, Carolina, Buffalo, Winnipeg and Philadelphia. According to HockeyViz.com, the Flyers (86 per cent), Panthers (85 per cent), Hurricanes (82 per cent), Sabres (78 per cent), Jets (74 per cent) and Canucks (67 per cent) have the best chance to both miss the playoffs and not pick in the Top 5 of June’s draft. TSN.CA LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052805 Websites The GMs also heard a presentation from Swedish hockey officials, who urged teams to let players develop in Sweden, rather than the AHL if they aren’t yet ready for the NHL. TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week OLYMPICS Naturally, when talk of player participation in the 2018 Olympics was By Scott Cullen raised, it was met with pessimism from the league, which is pretty much the standard position on all things Olympics.

Philadelphia Flyers winger Jakub Voracek didn’t mince any words in Scott Cullen takes a look at the top hockey stories from March 3rd response, calling the decision, “Absolutely ridiculous.” through March 10th, including the Flames, Karlsson, Olympics, expansion, Eichel, fighting and more. EXPANSION PROTECTED LISTS FLAMES BURNING BRIGHT If you need another reason to be critical of the league, the initial reports from the GM meetings suggested that the protected lists for June’s Winners of eight straight games, the Flames are the hottest team in the expansion draft would not be made public. league. Three of the wins have come in overtime, so some good fortune for a team that is now 8-2 when deciding games via 3-on-3 hockey this The NHL also discussed with GMs whether or not they would reveal each season. team's protected list ahead of expansion draft. GMs said No. (con't) One reason that the Flames have come on strong is that goaltender — Pierre LeBrun (@Real_ESPNLeBrun) March 8, 2017 Brian Elliott has recovered from a slow start to the season. Through mid- In theory the decision might protect team relationships with players but it February, Elliott had a .895 save percentage, but has delivered a .940 really protects general managers from facing scrutiny for their decisions. save percentage in his past nine starts, going 8-0-1. However, it also submarines any interest that the expansion draft But, this isn’t merely a goaltending show. Calgary’s top two lines have process could generate among hockey fans. been terrific. Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan anchor the top line, but the team’s leading goal-scorer during their winning streak is Micheal for real though, the NHL cares more about its GMs than its fans. It’s Ferland, who has scored six goals. stupid and always stupid. https://t.co/0XL7jS5fHP Calgary’s second line is a real difference-maker of a unit, with rookie — Sean Gentille (@seangentille) March 8, 2017 Matthew Tkachuk fitting in well alongside play-driving vets Mikael Backlund and Michael Frolik. After an initial outcry, the process could be more public. Sure, if the league doesn’t do it officially, the protected lists could easily leak, but if They bolstered their defence by adding Michael Stone from Arizona the information is going to get out anyway, why not do it right and make it before the deadline and he’s been a steady performer alongside T.J. into an event that draws fan interest? Brodie. With Mark Giordano and Dougie Hamilton one of the league’s top blueline tandems, the Flames could be tough to handle down the stretch (Remember, this is the same decision-making process that forces and into the playoffs. hobbyists to provide salary cap information so that fans can better understand team decisions.) From a team that was on the playoff bubble a month ago, their expectations have to be higher now. It wasn't that long ago the NHL had an expansion draft for one team. The protected lists from the other 26 teams were known in advance KARLSSON LEADS SENS SURGE pic.twitter.com/kR8smQ1GbU The Ottawa Senators have won five in a row, and are pressing the — Mike Commito (@mikecommito) March 8, 2017 Montreal Canadiens at the top of the Atlantic Division, sitting two points back with two games at hand. LIKE EICHEL Superstar defenceman Erik Karlsson has been the difference-maker. There has been a ton of talk this season, and justifiably so, about Connor Following a relatively slow start (by his standards), Karlsson has 44 McDavid, Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine, three brilliant talents taken points in the past 44 games. at the top of the past two drafts. He leads the league in blocked shots, so there is a narrative that Matthews and Laine were the first two picks in the 2016 Draft and Karlsson has somehow suddenly learned how to play defensive hockey. McDavid was the number one pick in 2015. The second pick from the 2015 Draft, Buffalo Sabres centre Jack Eichel, is doing his best to not be However, he was more effective driving play last year, so he allowed a excluded from that group. lower rate of unblocked shots in 2015-2016 when compared to 2016- 2017. On-ice save percentages (.909 last year, vs. .925 this year for Eichel missed time early in the season with a high ankle sprain, so he Karlsson) really have a way of affecting perception. was out of sight, out of mind while McDavid was racing to the top of the scoring list, and Laine and Matthews were waging a battle atop the In any case, with Karlsson in game-breaking form, the Senators are rookie scoring list. surprising contenders. But, even as his Buffalo Sabres have fallen out of contention, Eichel is when your friend has a game genie and you don't. riding an 11-game point streak, during which he’s put up 16 points (5 G, pic.twitter.com/NGsNLsEWsA 11 A). The 20-year-old hs 45 points in 46 games, which is kind of okay, and he leads the league with 4.1 shots on goal per game. — Ottawa Senators (@Senators) March 7, 2017 ICYMI from yesterday: @tsnscottcullen and @AndyMc81 with their latest GM MEETINGS 'Heroes and Zeroes.' https://t.co/cM6T3kj0ey The NHL GMs met in Boca Raton, Florida and it didn’t amount to a whole pic.twitter.com/WrmIT3Y9PL lot of action. — TSN Hockey Analytics (@TSNAnalytics) March 7, 2017 From @TSNRyanRishaug, @Real_ESPNLeBrun, @DarrenDreger & FIGHTING/SESTITO SUSPENSION @TSNBobMcKenzie at the #NHL GM meetings #TSNHockey https://t.co/LYosyYl2Eq Darren Dreger delivered a feature on fighting in hockey, specifically the declining role of fisticuffs in the game. — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) March 7, 2017 Is fighting disappearing from the #NHL? @DarrenDreger examines a part There were no changes to the current offside rule, which is rather status of the game in rapid decline. #TSNHockey https://t.co/h3Oq9YRuIx quo for a league perpetually looking for a way to get more goals scored. pic.twitter.com/OaqscVtvMT The current standings, in which some games are worth three points and others worth two so that fans are fooled into thinking a team is still — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) March 9, 2017 competitive later in the season, will continue as is. The timing was most interesting, because Penguins GM Jim Rutherford One adjustment coming for next season, it appears, is a way of shifting is included in the piece, talking about how the Penguins utilize skill, the bye week, so that half of the league is off for one week and the other rather than an enforcer, on their fourth line. half for the other week. Um, okay? But then, hockey being what it is, the Penguins called up Tom Sestito (20 points, 475 PIM in 149 career GP) for a game in Winnipeg. This because Penguins centre Evgeni Malkin caught Jets captain Blake Wheeler with a hit to the head last month, so there was payback anticipated. Sestito did fight Jets tough guy Chris Thorburn, though that didn’t prevent Malkin from accepting Wheeler’s call to arms. Even worse, Sestito buried veteran Jets defenceman Tobias Enstrom with a hit from behind, giving Enstrom a concussion. Sestito was suspended four games for the hit, quite the payoff for his 1:02 of ice time in his first NHL game since November. Anyway, fighting is clearly on the decline in the NHL, but there are still some nights that the league can’t help itself; old habits and all that. DEVILS DOWN Winless in nine the New Jersey Devils are crashing to the finish, in a race with Detroit for the third–best lottery odds. The Devils have scored four goals, total, in the past five losses. Over the course of those nine games, the Devils have four players that have recorded more than two points – Kyle Palmieri (9), Taylor Hall (6), Travis Zajac (6) and Joseph Blandisi (4). Looks like they will have some work to do in the offseason, but they also have 15 more games this season, so hope for their sake that the goals haven’t dried up completely or this could be an especially painful month. COYOTES - EVERGREEN It would figure that the future of the Arizona Coyotes is up in the air once again. After Arizona State University pulled out of a proposed arena project, the familiar uncertainty returned. Strong words from the Commissioner. #TSNHockey https://t.co/1Q7hNHxLzM — TSN Hockey (@TSNHockey) March 8, 2017 Bettman: 'We are not giving up on the Coyotes in the greater Phoenix area.' MORE: https://t.co/i3YcA74Ygr pic.twitter.com/4YsDd0qTjS — TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 8, 2017 The former mayor of Glendale wasn’t having any of it. Is this how a team winds up in Seattle, or will be on this same story in the desert years from now? JUMBO PLAYMAKER San Jose Sharks centre Joe Thornton recorded his 1000th career assist, a phenomenal achievement. He ranks second among active players (behind Jaromir Jagr) and 13th all-time. He’s made countless wingers look really good over the years, piling up these numbers in a low-scoring era. Using Hockey-Reference’s adjusted assists, Thornton would rank fifth all-time. Now, can someone tell him it’s okay to shoot the puck? He’s averaging just 1.02 shots per game, his lowest since his rookie year, 1997-1998. STATISTICALLY SPEAKING: Three-quarter NHL awards and Fantasy All-Stars. https://t.co/iCl8DYobjj pic.twitter.com/pQ2hZeZguF — Scott Cullen (@tsnscottcullen) March 9, 2017 TSN.CA LOADED: 03.14.2017 1052806 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: 03.14.2017