SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 11/10/2019 1160680 NHL observations: Wild coach Bruce Boudreau knows ‘If 1160713 Avs sweep their two-game homestand after beating Blue you don’t win, bad things happen’ Jackets 1160681 Ducks coach downplays game vs. 1160714 Nikita Zadorov had surgery to repair broken jaw, out “week-to-week” for the Avalanche 1160682 Whicker: Teemu Selanne’s biography is out, but there’s a 1160715 Chambers: Avalanche has been at its best against NHL’s lot of life left best 1160716 Makar scores two goals in come from behind Avalanche victory 1160683 Arizona Coyotes blow another lead in loss to Minnesota 1160717 The Avalanche prepare for the Blue Jackets tonight, but Wild the two teams will meet in Finland in 2020 1160684 Arizona Coyotes' Jakob Chychrun flashing potential after 1160718 Avs Game 17 Grades: Turn and Burn for the win battling chronic pain last season 1160719 Cale Makar’s time as a hockey-destroying unicorn is only 1160685 ‘Disheartening’: Coyotes blow a lead again, lose to beginning struggling Wild 1160686 Arizona Coyotes assign Eric Comrie to AHL Tucson Roadrunners 1160720 Avalanche 4, Blue Jackets 2 | Familiar start leads to familiar result, another loss 1160721 Blue Jackets look for win to boost their confidence 1160687 Bruins look to dig out of first rough stretch of season 1160722 Emil Bemstrom's first NHL fires up Blue Jackets 1160688 Hockey IQ separates the good players from the great ones 1160723 Portzline: 10 observations from the Blue Jackets’ 4-2 loss 1160689 Bruins look to put Detroit loss behind them to Colorado; Nick Foligno could face a suspension 1160690 Bruins kill equipped for all moments 1160724 Guideposts: Taking stock of the Blue Jackets’ slim margin 1160691 Hagg Bag mailbag: Airing of grievances a month into the for error and their defensive optimism season 1160692 Down on the farm: First-round pick Senyshyn’s arrival Dallas Stars shows Bruins pipeline is working as planned 1160725 After topsy-turvy first month, Jim Montgomery shares how the Stars rediscovered their identity 1160693 The long journey is over but Sabres' intrigue is just beginning 1160726 How this Detroit Red Wings opening disintegration 1160694 Global Series trip is quite a present for fan from Belgium compares to past 18-game starts 1160695 The Wraparound from Sweden: 5, 1160727 The Detroit Red Wings demonstrated they can win. Here's Buffalo Sabres 3 what worked 1160696 Stockholm Scenes: City Hall, site of the Nobel Prize 1160728 Dylan Larkin's determination keyed much-needed victory banquet over Bruins 1160697 Sabres game day: Looking for revenge against the 1160729 How to watch, listen and stream Detroit Red Wings vs. Lightning Las 1160698 Sabres sit where they’re expected to be after losing 2nd 1160730 Red Wings’ Filip Hronek developing knack for agitating Global Series game; now they have to be better opponents 1160731 Red Wings’ Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi re-establish connection 1160699 Flames rally, hang with champs until overtime 1160700 Full house: Flames' Tkachuk shared home with Blues' Thomas during spring run 1160732 At some Draisaitl will get the love he deserves 1160701 GameDay: Blues at Flames outside Edmonton 1160733 Chiasson finally leaves the rink with a smile on his face Chicago Blackhawks 1160702 Blackhawks fall 3-2 in a shootout after blowing a 2-goal lead for their 1st loss to the Penguins since 2014 1160734 Panthers stymied by Isles goalie Greiss, high-stick call on 1160703 Playing in his native Pittsburgh never gets old for Barkov goal in third period Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad: ‘It’s nice to come home’ 1160704 Blackhawks show improvement but blow lead, lose to 1160735 Kings give up two power-play goals in 3-2 loss to Penguins in shootout Canadiens 1160705 This You Gotta See: Bears-Lions, Bulls-Knicks, 1160736 scores twice, Canadiens beat Kings Blackhawks-Predators and MLB’s MVPs 1160737 3, IOWA 2 – STRAND, LUFF, STOTHERS 1160706 For Blackhawks’ Slater Koekkoek, sister Madison provides 1160738 NOVEMBER 9 RAPID REACTION: CANADIENS 3, support system through up-and-down career KINGS 2 1160707 Chicago takes on Toronto in non-conference showdown 1160739 GAME 17: LOS ANGELES AT MONTREAL 1160708 Penguins rally, edge Blackhawks 3-2 in shootout 1160740 MCLELLAN WANTS “STEADY GAME, NIGHT-IN AND 1160709 Four takeaways: Blackhawks' winning streak vs. Penguins NIGHT-OUT” FROM ILYA; RYAN/THOMPSON NOTES ends at 10 games 1160741 CATCHING UP WITH KYLE BAUMAN IN IOWA 1160710 Olli Maatta on returning to Pittsburgh and parallels 1160742 PREVIEW – ONTARIO @ IOWA, 11/9 between Blackhawks and Penguins leadership group 1160743 LINEUPS; DOUGHTY “READY TO GO,” BUT LEWIS 1160711 How to watch Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs: Time, TV OUT “PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WHAT schedule and streaming info WE ORIGINALLY 1160712 ‘This is what I’m used to’: Robin Lehner isn’t sugarcoating ANTICIPATE things, but he’s not complaining, either 1160744 Wild chirps Darcy Kuemper during comeback win over 1160779 Flyers burn Leafs, 3-2, as Sean Couturier seals it again in Coyotes a shootout 1160745 Wild-Arizona game recap 1160780 Flyers prospect Samuel Morin again tears his ACL and is 1160746 Hartman, Wild rally for 4-3 win over Coyotes expected to miss rest of season 1160747 More of the same: Wild falls behind, completes rally to 1160781 Flyers are rolling into Boston after massive shootout win beat Arizona 4-3 over Maple Leafs 1160748 Now that he's scored, Wild winger Ryan Donato knows 'the floodgates will open' Pittsburgh Penguins 1160749 Penguins rally, edge Blackhawks 3-2 in shootout 1160782 Empty Thoughts: Penguins 3, Blackhawks 2 (SO) 1160750 Devan Dubnyk starts, Marcus Foligno out for Wild vs. 1160783 Penguins rally to defeat Blackhawks in shootout but lose Coyotes Crosby to injury 1160751 Wild trash talk their way to comeback win over Coyotes 1160784 Ex-Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta returns with 1160752 Wild face off against familiar foe: Longtime backup Darcy Blackhawks Kuemper 1160785 Sidney Crosby leaves Saturday's game with 'lower-body 1160753 From back talk to comeback: Wild erase deficit vs. Darcy injury' Kuemper and Coyotes with some chirping along the way 1160786 Penguins stage another comeback, win in shootout vs. Chicago Blackhawks MontrealCanadiens 1160787 Former Penguin Olli Maatta returns to PPG Paints for the 1160754 In the Habs' Room: Montreal hangs on for win despite first time since he was traded first-period outburst 1160755 Shea Weber powers Canadiens over Kings with early San Jose Sharks two-goal effort 1160788 Timo Meier plays hero in shootout as Sharks top 1160756 Canadiens Game Day: And the first star ... Shea Weber! Predators 1160757 L.A. Kings at Canadiens: Five things you should know 1160789 Can Logan Couture’s newest linemate help jump-start his 1160758 A thorough breakdown of the most incredible goal Shea season? Weber has scored in a Canadiens uniform 1160790 Rookie Sharks defenseman out vs. 1160759 Video Review: Shea Weber powers the Canadiens to a 1160791 Melker Karlsson's return to lineup a positive for necessary win penalty-prone Sharks 1160792 How Sharks' Dylan Gambrell, Noah Gregor have seized Nashville Predators regular roles 1160760 Predators' Dante Fabbro returns to game after taking puck 1160793 As Marc-Edouard Vlasic finds his game, so, too, do the to the face Sharks 1160761 Predators-Sharks: TV info, live game score, updates 1160762 , Yannick Weber excited to go home with St Louis Blues Predators as part of NHL's Global Series 1160794 Blues win in OT for seventh in a row 1160763 Nick Bonino's goals include more than goals for Predators 1160795 Blues notebook: Coach Berube no stranger to Calgary 1160796 Perron does it again as Blues beat Calgary 3-2 in overtime 1160797 It's all about the 'D,' Tkachuk says of his hometown Blues 1160764 What will Devils do if Sami Vatanen misses time with 1160798 Blues play the Flames on 6-game win streak injury? 1160765 NJ Devils lose Sami Vatanen and game to Oilers in Tampa Bay Lightning frustrating fashion 1160799 Lightning’s fourth line pours on goals in win over Buffalo in Sweden New York Islanders 1160800 Lightning bring Community Hero program to Sweden 1160766 Mayfield, Greiss lead Islanders to 2-1 win over Panthers 1160801 Lightning put together a complete game to beat Buffalo in 1160767 Jordan Eberle makes game-turning play in return to Sweden Islanders 1160802 Victor Hedman follows other stars’ path from their shared 1160768 Thomas Greiss’ brilliance makes Islanders winners again hometown 1160769 Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss' percentage has him 1160803 Sweden trip is a chance for other European Lightning atop NHL rankings players as well 1160770 With Jordan Eberle's return, Isles coach keeps Derick Brassard on the right wing 1160771 With Jordan Eberle, Nick Leddy returning to the lineup, 1160804 Sunday NHL preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Chicago Islanders beat Panthers Blackhawks 1160805 Fears for Marner after ankle injury in Leafs’ shootout loss to Flyers 1160772 What David Quinn thinks is holding back Rangers’ Brady 1160806 ‘It’s hard to believe.’ Kade Foster, 11, meets Maple Leafs Skjei one week after lonely birthday party tweet went vir 1160773 Outdoor practice remains ‘something special’ for Rangers 1160807 Maple Leafs lose Marner to injury and shootout to Flyers 1160774 The late highlights lopsided Rangers-Bruins 1160808 Maple Leafs give jilted birthday boy a heck of a party trade history 1160809 JVR's ex-Leaf pals are Cup winners 1160775 NY Rangers projected lineup: Marc Staal has ankle 1160810 Special guest to attend Leafs-Flyers game tonight surgery; Brady Skjei re-enters 1160811 GAME DAY: Flyers at Maple Leafs 1160776 Rangers' Brady Skjei expects to be better when he returns 1160812 Mitch Marner goes down, will miss first regular-season to lineup Sunday game since his rookie year 1160777 Rangers' Mika Zibanejad doesn't practice, will miss sixth 1160813 Leafs Report Cards: William Nylander finds his footing in straight game Leafs’ loss to Flyers 1160814 Why the Maple Leafs offence has gone stagnant this season, and what needs to change now 1160778 GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Senators weather storm to beat Hurricanes 1160833 Canucks' start brings cautious optimism, but history can be a downer 1160834 How some real talk at the Craven Country Jamboree helped Kole Lind get back on track as a top Canucks prospect 1160835 The Armies: Baertschi’s redemption, Quinn’s Gucci flex, Tanev the warrior and the case for load management Vegas Golden Knights 1160815 Golden Knights drop 2nd straight, fall to Capitals 5-2 1160816 Malcolm Subban to take on heavier workload for Golden Knights 1160817 Golden Knights Ryan Reaves, Alex Tuch dish on art of tipping shots 1160818 GAME DAY: Golden Knights face league-leading Capitals 1160819 Golden Knights will break out of current slump with smart hockey, not by seeking retribution 1160820 Capitals stretch winning streak to six with 5-2 victory over Golden Knights 1160821 Capitals forward Carl Hagelin day-to-day with upper-body injury 1160822 Siegenthaler's first goal, the second line is so hot right now and the non Wilson-Reaves rematch 1160823 Jonas Siegenthaler’s first NHL goal comes on a date he’ll always remember 1160824 Bet on red: Capitals outlast Vegas Golden Knights for sixth straight win 1160825 Tom Wilson, Ryan Reaves downplay their on-ice rivalry 1160826 4 things to know for Caps-Golden Knights: A rematch Websites 1160836 The Athletic / Veteran’s move: Why Sidney Crosby gave away the car he won as MVP of 2019 NHL All-Star Game 1160837 Sportsnet.ca / Loss to Flyers secondary as Leafs await diagnosis of Marner's injury 1160838 Sportsnet.ca / Shea Weber's game trending up with huge contributions to Canadiens win 1160839 Sportsnet.ca / Flames can take away key lessons from Blues in OT loss 1160840 Sportsnet.ca / Kade Foster gets blue-and-white birthday surprise from Maple Leafs 1160841 TSN.CA / Tyson Barrie on slow start: 'I wish I had the answers for it' 1160842 TSN.CA / Toronto Maple Leafs recent success goes deeper than just one guy 1160843 USA TODAY / Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby leaves game with lower-body injury Winnipeg Jets 1160827 Fine move for Finn 1160828 Hellebuyck demystifies dark art of goaltending 1160829 JETS GAME DAY: Jets look to snap Stars' four-game winning streak 1160830 Re-calibrated Hellebuyck working wonders for Jets 1160831 Ates: With Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine struggling, the Jets are getting by on hard work and heart 1160832 A tale of two Jets rookies: David Gustafsson sticks around as Ville Heinola heads home SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1160680 Anaheim Ducks Red Wings center Robby Fabbri greets his teammates after scoring against the Bruins during the first period of a game Nov. 8.

Forward Robby Fabbri, traded by the St. Louis Blues to Detroit last week NHL observations: Wild coach Bruce Boudreau knows ‘If you don’t win, for Jacob de la Rose, scored two goals in his Red Wings debut Friday bad things happen’ and matched the number he scored in 32 games last season. Both of his goals Friday came on the power play, and they fueled Detroit’s 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins. By HELENE ELLIOTT SPORTS COLUMNIST The Red Wings were the last NHL team to reach double digits in points NOV. 9, 2019 11:58 AM (11, on a 5-12-1 record). This will be a long season, but Fabbri could provide a few bright moments. He was drafted 21st in 2014 but his

progress was slowed by repeated injuries and his ice time dwindled with In his 14th season as an NHL coach and third stop on the coaches’ St. Louis. He should play a lot for the Red Wings, who rank last in carousel, Bruce Boudreau isn’t naive. scoring at an average of 2.17 goals per game.

His team missed the playoffs last season and is underachieving this Bettman continues his Olympic game season, and he’s nearing the end of a contract that hasn’t been extended Commissioner Gary Bettman, in Stockholm last week for two games by his new boss, general manager Bill Guerin. Speculation that Boudreau between the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning, announced that might be fired began well before the Minnesota Wild’s current Western the Bruins and Predators will open the 2020-21 season in the Czech trip, which will end with a game against the Kings on Tuesday at Staples Republic and the Avalanche and Blue Jackets will play two games in Center. “It’s going to be out there,” Boudreau said. “It’s a winning league. Finland. He also repeated his opposition to letting NHL players If you don’t win, bad things happen.” participate in the 2022 Beijing Olympics, calling the break in the schedule Boudreau, nicknamed “Gabby” for his amiable personality, is trying to “a challenge” and “incredibly disruptive.” stay upbeat while fighting an uphill battle. “I can’t control anything that’s More disruptive than the three lockouts he imposed? More disruptive happening, so I just go on. If I worried about that every day, I’d be a than flying thousands of miles for two games? Players are eager to return basket case,” said Boudreau, who previously coached the Ducks to four to the Olympics after being kept out of the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, Pacific division titles in four-plus seasons but was fired after they lost in and Bettman surely will leverage that to get some kind of concession in the first round of the 2016 playoffs. “So you just go, ‘Whatever happens, another area. He hasn’t ruled out staging more games in China but won’t happens,’ and I think we’re capable of doing better than where we are let players go to the Beijing Olympics because the NHL doesn’t directly right now and hopefully we do.” profit off the Games. Skipping another Olympic tournament would be a He has a mishmash of a roster. The Wild can score but give up too many mistake for a league seeking global growth. goals. Their salary cap space is limited by the hefty contracts of forward

Zach Parise and defenseman Ryan Suter, who are in their mid-30s and carry a cap hit of $7.5 million each through 2024-25. Their stars are old LA Times: LOADED: 11.10.2019 and the kids haven’t made a significant impact yet. Players hoped this trip would be a turning point, and they began on an encouraging note with a 4-2 win over the Ducks at Anaheim. But they followed that with a scrambly 6-5 loss at San Jose before a 4-3 win Saturday against Arizona that still leaves them near the bottom of the Western Conference.

Meanwhile, Boudreau hopes for better days and tries to ignore the outside noise. “I love what I do. I’m just happy to be here,” he said. How much longer he will be able to say that is up for debate.

Teemu Selanne is as skilled at charming people as he was at scoring goals, which is saying a lot because he lit the lamp 684 times in 21 NHL seasons. The Finnish winger, who won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007 and was inducted into the in 2017 with former line mate Paul Kariya, is using his charisma these days to promote his new book, “Teemu Selanne: My Life.”

It’s an updated English version of a book published in Finnish in 2014. “There’s more stories in there based on what happened here,” he said while greeting fans at a book signing in Anaheim last week. “I wanted this book to be honest and open and tell about my life and the ups and downs that have affected me as a person and a player.

“I’m happy with it. We always talk about fun stuff, but, of course, life has ups and downs and I think it’s important that if you do the book, you do it the right way. I think it looks like me.”

It’s not as flashy as he was, but it includes interesting observations from friends and family. His parents separated when he was young, and his older brother got into trouble with drugs. Teemu didn’t like school and became a daredevil on his motorcycle. “It’s a miracle that nothing serious happened, he must have had all kind of guardian angels watching over him, and the stars aligning just perfectly,” his father, Ilmari, said. He still enjoys himself, but he gave up race car driving. “I think it’s great you can live almost a new life, with flashbacks about certain situations,” Selanne said of revising the book. “You appreciate things.”

The Finnish edition caused a stir because Selanne criticized Ducks Ryan Getzlaf for not backing him when then-coach Boudreau cut Selanne’s ice time. That made it into the new edition. “For me, being a young leader in the league, maybe I should have stuck up for him. Maybe I shouldn’t have,” Getzlaf said recently. “It was a learning experience for me too, and we’ve never had any animosity at all.” It’s tough to be mad at Selanne, as a person or as an author. 1160681 Anaheim Ducks Orange County Register: LOADED: 11.10.2019

Ducks coach Dallas Eakins downplays game vs. Edmonton

By ELLIOTT TEAFORD | [email protected] | Orange County Register

PUBLISHED: November 9, 2019 at 3:17 pm | UPDATED: November 9, 2019 at 3:17 PM

IRVINE — Maybe if he had coached there for longer than 113 games, maybe if the Edmonton Oilers had won more than 36 times, maybe if he hadn’t been fired 31 contests into his second season, maybe then Sunday might feel like more than just another game for Dallas Eakins.

“It would have been one thing if I coached there for six or seven years, but I didn’t even unpack all the boxes in my house and we were gone,” Eakins said Saturday of his short and not very sweet tenure with the Oilers, in 2013-14 and part of 2014-15. “It’s not like there’s a real connection for me.”

Eakins later added: “Hey, the time in Edmonton was one of great adversity. It didn’t go well. The way I’ve just kind of looked at it is that I think sometimes people look at failure as an end. I’ve always looked at failure as a new beginning. So that’s just kind of how I’ve rolled through it.”

Eakins said he feels at home when he’s in Toronto, where he worked for eight seasons in the Maple Leafs’ organization. He said he feels at home when he’s in San Diego, where he spent the past four seasons as the coach of the Ducks’ successful AHL team, the San Diego Gulls.

Edmonton was his first NHL head coaching position; the Ducks are his second. Ducks general manager Bob Murray hired Eakins to be the 10th coach in franchise history June 17, almost four years to the day Murray hired him to be the coach of the Gulls.

“The places that you spend longer time in, those are the places you feel you have a connection to,” Eakins said. “We worked in Toronto for eight years. We still have a home there. I’m very connected to that city. We just lived for four years in San Diego. I’m very connected to that city.

“I think whenever you put time and roots down in a place, that’s where there’s a connection.”

Though he ultimately viewed his time with the Oilers as a failure, Eakins said he learned a great deal from the experience. He used it to become a better coach when the Ducks came calling, putting it to good use while recording a 154-95-23 record in his four seasons with the Gulls.

Eakins certainly harbors no animosity toward the Oilers. Sunday’s game was not one he circled on the calendar when the NHL schedule was released.

“Even though Edmonton was an unbelievable opportunity and I am so grateful for the opportunity that was presented to me there, this is just another game that we’re trying to get the two points,” Eakins said. “I think everybody wants to look back and say when you have great adversity or whatever, tough times or whatever, that’s when you learn a lesson.

“Man, I learned things last year coaching and we were a couple of games going to the (AHL) final. We had a really successful year. I think you’re learning no matter if it’s good days, no matter if it’s bad days. We’re always hungry here to be in that constant learning phase. How can we be better?”

The Ducks recalled defenseman Simon Benoit from the Gulls on Saturday. Eakins said he didn’t expect to include Benoit in the Ducks’ lineup for Sunday’s game against the Oilers, but “we’ve got to have an extra guy around. We’re just rolling with six (defensemen on the roster).”

Eakins didn’t rule out playing Benoit later in the week, when the Ducks’ seven-game homestand concludes with games Tuesday against the Detroit Red Wings and Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. The Ducks then begin a four-game trip Saturday at St. Louis.

Benoit, 21, had one goal and one in nine games with the Gulls this season.

1160682 Anaheim Ducks Selanne would have laughed in your Lord Stanley Cut, the 38-ounce steak at the Tavern, if you’d suggested he’d ever stand behind an NHL bench.

Whicker: Teemu Selanne’s biography is out, but there’s a lot of life left He’s nowhere close to that. But Eakins, now the Ducks’ coach, has suggested Selanne come to Great Park, at least occasionally, to work with young shooters. By MARK WHICKER | [email protected] | Daily News “He’s sucking me back in,” Selanne said, laughing. “He thinks I can be a PUBLISHED: November 9, 2019 at 10:00 am | UPDATED: November 9, mentor for some of the young guys. And the game is unbelievable these 2019 at 10:01 am days. Every team has two or three great young players. So I know I would love it.

“Only thing is, I watch this 3-on-3 overtime they have now. Makes me MISSION VIEJO — Teemu Selanne’s biography, “My Life,” is in the jealous.” bookstores. He was joking again. When everything you want is just behind the An autobiography? No, that would have required standing still. curtains, don’t look back. It is sort of a Flash-back, he said, to explain how a kid with two stressed knees roared out of Finland to score 684 NHL goals, collect a Stanley Cup and fly into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Orange County Register: LOADED: 11.10.2019 He set a rookie record in 1993 that might really be unreachable. He scored 76 goals in Winnipeg. To commemorate the 54th, which passed Mike Bossy, he tossed up a glove and pretended to shoot it down with his stick, and it landed in the hands of teammate Dallas Eakins.

The book is written by Finnish journalist Ari Mennander and is a very comprehensive look at a life that is just entering the attacking zone, at 49.

Retirement can be a glowering troll for athletes who were shoved, or injured, out of the game against their will. For them, the transition is purgatory. For Selanne, it came in 2014, and it felt like recess.

“I jokingly say that my dream was to get up in the morning and open the curtains, it’s 78 degrees Fahrenheit, and I try to decide what to do,” Selanne said Tuesday. “I can surf early in the morning, play tennis, play golf after that, and then drive two hours and go skiing. You can’t beat that.

“I was living on someone else’s schedule for 30 years. People have no idea about the disciplined lifestyle. I would be working out as I got older, worried that I wasn’t doing enough. Even on holiday, I was thinking about starting training again. This is a big weight off my chest. My buddies tell me they saw more of me when I was playing than they do now. I’m busier than ever.”

There is no logoff button for a lifelong competitor. Selanne was ranked 133th last year by the International Tennis Federation in the plus-45 division, with two trips to the third round of professional tournaments. He has won a club championship at Coto de Caza, “grinding it out,” as he says, without an electric serve but with speed and adaptability.

Golf, however, has weaved its evil spell.

“I’m at 3.2 handicap, but I was a 1.7,” Selanne said. “But I was a miserable 1.7. I would shoot 75 and get mad. I thought I would get really good after I retired, and I did shoot a couple of 69s, but then I expected it.

“That game, it’s a love-hate relationship. When I came home after playing a bad hockey game, I was able to hide it, but after a bad round, (wife) Sirpa could tell right away. But now I play and enjoy it and laugh. I want to be a happy guy when I shoot 75.”

The Selannes still revolve around Planet Hockey. Son Eetu plays at Curry College in Boston. Eetu’s brother Leevi scored the winning goal for Santa Margarita High in the finals of the national high school tournament and now plays junior hockey in Dallas.

The oldest, Eemil, is working at Teemu Selanne’s Steak Tavern in Laguna Beach and regularly watches Ducks games with Teemu. Daughter Veera is 11 years old.

Finland has elbowed its way into the hockey elite, with three titles in the past six World Juniors and a gold medal in the 2019 World Championships with only two NHL players. Selanne runs two “scoring camps” in the summer for the top forwards, including Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 draft pick last year, now with the Rangers.

“Finland was always tough and physical but would maybe have one guy drafted in the first three rounds and Sweden would have a lot more,” Selanne said. “We adjusted and began working on skills. It is paying off.”

So maybe the way to beat retirement is never to retire. 1160683 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes blow another lead in loss to Minnesota Wild

Richard Morin, Arizona Republic

Published 8:44 p.m. MT Nov. 9, 2019 | Updated 9:51 p.m. MT Nov. 9, 2019

The Coyotes blew a lead for the fourth consecutive game and fell to the Minnesota Wild, 4-3, on Saturday at Gila River Arena

The Coyotes (9-6-2) have lost three in a row.

Coyotes winger Michael Grabner opened the scoring at 8:50 of the first period when Grabner attempted to shift a puck from his skate to his stick but ended up going right from the blade and into the net for a goal.

The Coyotes went up 2-0 when defenseman Jakob Chychrun tallied his second goal in as many games and fourth of the season at 12:40 of the first period. Effective forechecking from Phil Kessel and Christian Dvorak allowed the puck to find Nick Schmaltz, who found Chychrun all alone for the shot.

But the Wild began battling back in the second period when captain Mikko Koivu scored a power-play goal less than four minutes into the middle frame.

Coyotes winger Vinnie Hinostroza made it 3-1 at 8:20 of the third period, but Wild forward Kevin Fiala scored less than five minutes later. Before the end of the second period, Wild defenseman Matt Dumba had made it a 3-3 game.

The Wild took a 4-3 lead when Wild forward Ryan Hartman found a teammate's skate in front of Coyotes goaltender Darcy Kuemper for a tough-luck goal.

The skinny

The score: Wild 4, Coyotes 3.

The streak: L3.

The record: 9-6-2, 21 points.

The 82-game pace: 43-29-10, 96 points.

The standings: 5th in Pacific.

The player: Jared Spurgeon.

The moment: Ryan Hartman's goal at 4:54 of the third period.

The number: 20 — Jakob Chychrun scored his 20th career goal on Saturday, which is the most among defensemen selected in the 2016 draft.

View from the press box: The Coyotes lost consecutive games at home to a pair of not-so-good teams. They did this by blowing leads to both of them. Not only that, but now they have dates with the Washington Capitals and St. Louis Blues — the last two Stanley Cup winners — on back-to-back days. Things could get ugly for this team real fast.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160684 Arizona Coyotes reassigned to his junior hockey club at some point, or be loaned to Team for the World Junior tournament in January.

— Coyotes goaltender Eric Comrie was sent to Tucson (AHL) for a Arizona Coyotes' Jakob Chychrun flashing potential after battling chronic conditioning stint on Saturday. Comrie was acquired off waivers from the pain last season Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 1 but has not appeared in a game for the Coyotes.

Richard Morin, Arizona Republic Arizona Republic LOADED: 11.10.2019 Published 2:37 p.m. MT Nov. 9, 2019

There were times last season where Jakob Chychrun felt like a liability.

A second major knee surgery before his 21st birthday meant Chychrun was behind the eight ball yet again as he entered the 2018-19 season without a full training camp and with a great deal of discomfort.

But now, Chychrun looks like the player whom the Coyotes signed to a six-year, 27.6 million contract last season. For the first time in a while, he looks like an elite defenseman.

"I find him to be more aggressive," Coyotes Rick Tocchet said of Chychrun. "His defensive play kind of dictates his game. For me when he's really aggressive in the corners, stopping cycles and stuff, it seems to work in the offensive zone and gets more in tune. That's what I think happens. He gets into the game defensively and, in turn, the offense shows up."

When Chychrun did return to start last season — almost exactly one year ago on Nov. 13, 2018 — he did so at far less than 100 percent.

Not only did rehab prevent Chychrun from not participating in training camp, which is a vital process for budding NHL players, but the young defenseman had to battle much more than opposing forwards on the ice. He had to fight through chronic pain in his knee throughout most of the season.

"It's never fun when every time you get on the ice you're dealing with soreness," Chychrun said of playing through tendinitis last season. "It makes it hard to focus on just playing. You get more focused on managing pain and being able to play every game. That's a tough way to go about business every day."

The tendinitis affected Chychrun's play more than most realize, and the expectations of a new, multi-year extension certainly didn't quell outside pressure. By the time March rolled around, Chychrun was in and out of the lineup as a "healthy scratch," if you could call it that.

"It was very hard," Chychrun said.

In the past seven-plus months, however, Chychrun has been able to put all that behind him. On the heels of a restful summer and a full training camp, a pain-free Chychrun has been able to thrive this season.

Not only has Chychrun, who is averaging more ice time this season than any year prior, already tallied three goals in 16 games this season, but his defensive play seems to be more advanced than at any point previously in his NHL career.

"It's the first time I've been playing without pain in a long time," Chychrun said. "It's just nice, honestly, to go out there and have some fun. I'm not really worried about how my knee is going to feel so it's nice to focus on the game and developing my game. I've been enjoying myself."

New assistant coach Phil Housley is credited with helping defensemen such as Roman Josi, Mattias Ekholm and Ryan Ellis when he was with the Nashville Predators. Chychrun said he and Housley have already formed a good relationship and Housley has been able to help Chychrun's game at even-strength and on the power-play.

Based on groups practicing together at morning skate on Saturday, Chychrun might even get a chance to play on the top power-play unit at some point soon. For Tocchet, it would be a reward for excellent play so far this season.

"He's got a hell of a shot," Tocchet said, "and we've got to start using it."

One-timers

— The Coyotes plan to burn the first year of rookie Barrett Hayton's three-year entry level deal upon Hayton playing his 10th game of the season. According to a team source, the Coyotes have not decided whether Hayton will remain with the Coyotes for the full season, be 1160685 Arizona Coyotes The Wild cut it to 2-1 in the opening minutes of the second period when a big off the pad of Darcy Kuemper gave an open look to Mikko Koivu. After Vinnie Hinostroza made it 3-1, the Wild cut it to 3-2 with ‘Disheartening’: Coyotes blow a lead again, lose to struggling Wild another rebound goal — this time by Kevin Fiala.

“I think we’ve got to realize that we’re a really good team but it takes more than just being a good team to win,” Kuemper said. “You’ve got to BY MATT LAYMAN stay detailed and remember it’s little things that make us successful. I’m not sure what happened, we got up a little bit and it seemed like we got NOVEMBER 9, 2019 AT 10:10 PM away from our gameplan.

“Obviously I’ve got to be better, too. It’s hard to win if you give up four.” GLENDALE, Ariz. — Head coach Rick Tocchet was calm and respectful In the final minutes of the second period, Kevin Fiala fed a wide-open in answering questions after the Arizona Coyotes’ game against the Matt Dumba up high and he scored on a hard slap-shot. That made it 3-3 Minnesota Wild on Saturday — not that anyone could’ve blamed him if at second intermission. he had been more emotional and animated. On the game-winning goal, nobody went to cover a streaking Jared But he seemed frustrated. Why wouldn’t he be? The Coyotes had 2-0 Spurgeon, who was skating to a loose puck in the corner. That resulted and 3-1 leads in a game Saturday against the Wild, but lost 4-3. It’s part in a complete defensive breakdown by the Coyotes forward line of of an unsettling trend. , Derek Stepan and Conor Garland, and left a wide-open It was the fourth consecutive game in which the Coyotes had a lead and Ryan Hartman to accept a pass and score. lost it in the second period or later. The first game of that streak resulted That made it 4-3. in an overtime win in Edmonton, but the last three games have yielded two regulation losses (vs. Columbus, vs. Minnesota) and one overtime “Just be responsible. And ownership of your game. Those two things loss (at Calgary). would be really nice. Own your game and have responsibility. Your job. That’s it,” Tocchet said. “The other stuff will take care of itself. You can “We’re giving up some chances in the slot that we haven’t given up the live with the results, but we’ve given away six points here in the last week first 10, 11 games,” head coach Rick Tocchet said. by some unfocused plays by some guys. It’s disheartening.” “I don’t know if it’s not [enough] practice time, I’m not sure. But we’ve Arizona out-shot the Wild 35-24. Kuemper made 20 saves. got to buckle down here. We’re in control of the game and we just give them life. And it happened the other night. Just an unfocused play here “I think if you told us that, two, three weeks ago we had a 3-1 lead and or there. And we need some individuals to play better.” we’re going to lose in regulation, I don’t think I would’ve believed you,” Michael Grabner said. “So we’ve got to get back to the basics and play Undoubtedly, it was a bad loss to a struggling team at a time when the our style of hockey.” Coyotes needed a turnaround from the ugliness that had come in the games prior. What’s more, the next three games are a back-to-back in QUICK HITS Washington, D.C. and St. Louis, Mo. after only one day of rest, followed by another single day of rest before a game at Minnesota. — Center Brad Richardson (lower-body) and defenseman Jordan Oesterle (upper-body) both made their returns to the lineup on Saturday. Washington and St. Louis happen to be the last two Stanley Cup Jason Demers (lower-body) did not play. winners. — The Coyotes featured a new top power play unit: Phil Kessel, Jakob “It’s going to be a real tough trip,” forward Brad Richardson said. “I don’t Chychrun, Derek Stepan, Carl Soderberg and Nick Schmaltz. Arizona know who’s doing the scheduling for the NHL, but it’s going to be tough.” went 0-for-3 on the power play, but one of those began with only 12 seconds left in the game. For some perspective, the Coyotes are a respectable 9-6-2. They have exhibited stretches of very good hockey this season against good teams. All hope is not lost. But the after a loss to Columbus on Thursday, Tocchet called the blown leads “pissin’ points away,” and he used that Arizona Sports LOADED: 11.10.2019 phrase again Saturday.

“We’re still fine. We’ve still got a half-decent record, but we’re, just like I said, pissin’ points away, when we shouldn’t,” he said. “Because you want to have these points in the bank if something really bad happens. A bunch of injuries or we’re on this tough trip or tough schedule, whatever.

“So it’s nice to have those points in the bank and we’re just giving them away because of unfocused plays.”

The Coyotes played a two-game homestand and earned zero points in the standings against Columbus (6-7-3) and Minnesota (6-10-1), the latter of which entered Saturday tied for the fewest points in the standings in the entire league.

“We have no credibility to disrespect any team. We don’t,” Tocchet said.

“This is the NHL. There are 900 players that are the best in the world here. So you’ve got to respect everybody. So we have no credibility to think we can just go out there and, ‘We’re the Coyotes, we can just roll over teams.’ We’re out of our mind if we think that way.”

Tocchet seemed somewhat dismissive of the notion that negative momentum had been building on itself since the streak of blown games began Tuesday in Calgary.

“To me, it’s a game-to-game thing,” Tocchet said. “You’re a professional. You let things go and you strap it on and you get focused again.”

Arizona’s game against the Wild on Saturday started hot. The Coyotes dominated and spent most of the time in the offensive zone for the first few minutes, and that eventually resulted in the game’s first goal by Michael Grabner at 8:50 in the first period. Jakob Chychrun made it 2-0 at the 12:40 mark on a one-timer. 1160686 Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes assign Eric Comrie to AHL

Staff Report

BY ARIZONA SPORTS

NOVEMBER 9, 2019 AT 10:46 AM

The Arizona Coyotes announced that goaltender Eric Comrie has been assigned to the AHL Tucson Roadrunners for conditioning purposes.

This season, Comrie has only appeared in one game for the 9-5 Coyotes, allowing five goals on 28 shots against.

In his career, the Edmonton native has two wins and three losses to his record, averaging 4.21 goals against.

The 6-foot-1, 181-pound goaltender appeared in 47 games last season with the AHL Moose. He was credited with a record of 25-20-2 with a .917 save average and 2.69 GAA.

The move leave the Coyotes with two goaltenders: Darcy Kuemper and Antti Raanta.

Comrie was a second round draft pick in 2013 by the Winnipeg Jets.

Arizona Sports LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160687 Boston Bruins ■ Blashill also noted that Bergeron’s skating, at age 34, only appears to get better. “Every day he’s got the same fountain of youth as Tom Brady, I guess,” said Blashill. Apprised of Blashill’s words, the ever-humble and Bruins look to dig out of first rough stretch of season smiling Bergeron said, “Yeah, I’m not going to comment on that. I mean, obviously, we all know what Tom Brady has done in his career. We’ll keep it at that.” Brady, at 42, has played 318 NFL games, playoffs included. The Bergy bundle totals 1,180. By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff ■ Larkin, his speed really mesmerizing, now has totaled 226 points, Updated November 9, 2019, 8:00 p.m. third overall in his 2014 draft class. The two guys ahead of him: Draisaitl (342) and Pastrnak (315).

A few thoughts, a few shots, and a puck or two over the glass following ■ Sergei Bobrovsky, last seen by the Bruins when he was fronting the the Bruins’ 4-2 loss Friday night in Detroit: Blue Jackets net in Eastern semis, likely will start against them here Tuesday. He signed in Florida as a UFA in July for a total $70 million ■ The loss, in tandem with Tuesday’s 5-4 trimming in Montreal, marked over seven years, of which he’ll pocket $11.5 million this season. He the first time this season that the Bruins have suffered back-to-back headed into weekend play with only six wins in 12 decisions (6-2-4), a losses in regulation. 3.50 goals-against mark and a .878 save percentage. Beer league numbers. Yep, only one way to explain it, folks: #TuukkasFault. Considering they also lost their grip Monday on a 3-0 lead over the Penguins, they’ve officially hit their first rough patch of the season. They have been outscored, 13-12, in their last three games. Boston Globe LOADED: 11.10.2019 “Too many goals against, clearly,” said coach , who gave his charges a day off Saturday, a respite ahead of the Flyers’ first visit to TD Garden on Sunday night. “Four against Pittsburgh, could have been more . . . five against Montreal, three [in Detroit] . . . just got to do a better job there. That’s goalie, D, forwards, right on out.”

■ The Flyers’ visit will begin a busy seven-day stretch of four games, with the Panthers here on Tuesday, a stop in Toronto Friday night, and then a visit Saturday by the Capitals, who woke up Sunday ranked No. 1 overall in league standings with a 13-2-3 mark. The other three clubs are a combined 25-14-11.

■ The Bruins left Little Caesars Arena convinced that a scoring change on Saturday would shift the credit for their second goal from Torey Krug (his third) to Patrice Bergeron (his eighth), who appeared to provide the top-of-crease tip to Krug’s slot drive. That came to pass, depriving David Pastrnak of the second assist on Krug’s strike, thus ending his 13-game point-streak at 15-15—30.

The change dropped him back into a tie with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl for the points lead.

■ Bergeron led Boston shooters in Detroit with seven shots on net. The Brad Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak trio has 156 shots on net through 16 games. Bergeron (58) and Pastrnak (57), rank in the top 15 among all league shooters. Alex Ovechkin, here Saturday with the Capitals, again leads the field this season with 84 shots.

■ By the way, if you are keeping score at home, entering Saturday Ovie had landed a career total 5,318 shots and scored with 671 of them for a 12.6 success rate. We should all fail 87.4 percent of the time at the thing we do best. The only active player close to Ovie’s shot tonnage: Patrick Marleau (3,960 shots). Marleau has connected 520 times (13.1 percent success rate).

■ The bet here: The Bruins this season won’t again match the three penalties (two on Pastrnak, one on Marchand) that they committed in the offensive zone. Adding to the pain: The Red Wings scored two of their goals, both by new pickup Robby Fabbri, on the three power plays gifted by those boo-boos.

■ But for a brilliant glove save by Jonathan Bernier at 18:53 of the middle period, Pastrnak would have potted his 16th this season. Lunging to his left, Bernier snared Pastrnak’s doorstep lift off a sharp feed by Marchand. The stop came only 1:10 after the Krug shot pulled the Bruins to within 3-2. The Bruins landed only four more shots the rest of the night, the bedraggled Wings (now 5-12-1) mustering a stout third-period defensive game.

■ Not a fun night for Ann Arbor’s Steve Kampfer, who dressed as a No. 7 defenseman when right winger Brett Ritchie was sidelined with a bug. The plan was never for Kampfer to fill Ritchie’s spot at wing. He only would have been deployed if one of the six defenseman got dinged. Nonetheless, logging 0:00 TOI in the hometown barn had to be tough.

■ David Krejci scored the night’s first goal, providing a lead that lasted all of 1:32 before Dylan “Laser” Larkin connected on a wraparound stuff that banged in off Bergeron. Wings coach , an unabashed Krug fan, is also a chapter member of the Krejci booster club. To wit: “David Krejci is one of my favorite players in the league.” 1160688 Boston Bruins “Yeah, even younger, I think I was always trying to read plays and, you know, playing with my hockey brain, if you want to call it that,” he said. “Not worry too much or think too much, and I think when you stay in it is Hockey IQ separates the good players from the great ones when you have the best results.”

And what’s a coach to do if a player low on hockey smarts lands on his roster? By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff “We talk to the GM about trading him,” kidded Cassidy. “One man’s Updated November 9, 2019, 2:18 p.m. opinion: The two most difficult things to coach are hockey IQ and courage. I mean, they’re inside [a player] or they’re not. You certainly can

work on things. I call it the 70 percent rule: You try to get them to do In his years behind the Bruins’ bench, and then later as a broadcaster something right at least 70 percent of the time . . . that’s kind of how I try and analyst, Gerry Cheevers constantly espoused the virtues of skating. to deal with it.

“Everything comes from skating,” Cheevers, the Hall-of-Fame goalie, “But at the end of the day, it is difficult to coach [intelligence]. You’re held as his mantra. “Sounds basic, but it is the essence of the game.” constantly reminding guys about things that should come naturally, or do come naturally to other players, but that’s the hand you’re dealt with.” Bruce Cassidy, the man in charge of the Boston bench these days, some 34 years after Cheevers held the post, doesn’t disagree. Those who can’t A DIFFERENT PATH skate, especially in today’s NHL, need not apply. After four years comes a free ride And right there in lockstep with it, by Cassidy’s eye, is hockey IQ. The Penguins, dismissed by the Bruins, 6-4, on Monday in one of the “Everyone has different ideas on what they check off as the three biggest season’s most entertaining games thus far, look like they have a solid assets of a player,” noted Cassidy. “To me, hockey IQ is right there. If it’s third-pairing fit in defenseman John Marino, the ex-Harvard back liner not No. 1 . . . I mean there’s skating . . . then IQ is certainly No. 2. The from North Easton. He has been logging solid minutes, usually paired more players you have that have that, the more you can move people with Jack Johnson, once the No. 3 pick (Carolina) in the ’05 draft. around, adjust, do different things, and those are the players who can Marino came cheap, new GM Ken Holland able only to wring a sixth- react on the ice without it being structured.” round pick (2021) out of the Pens. Marino, originally drafted by the Oilers Cassidy’s top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David in the sixth round in 2015 (No. 154), decided after last season that he Pastrnak — the NHL’s hottest trio here the first five weeks into the would leave Harvard after three seasons. He also decided he didn’t want season — is equipped with an abundance of hockey intelligence. Hockey to play for the Oilers, who, for all their recent playoff DNQs, have a fairly smarts, their blend of intelligence and instinct, may be what separates deep six pack behind the blue line. them from every other top line in today’s game. Skills, too, of course, not Because he opted for a season in the USHL (Tri-City) prior to entering the least of which is skating, but also Pastrnak’s sizzling slapper, Harvard in the fall of 2016, Marino had the requisite four years of Bergeron’s puck control and spatial awareness, and Marchand’s amateur hockey (USHL/ECAC) on his resume, allowing him to declare stickhandling and slap shot. unrestricted free agency this past August. Blake Wheeler followed a Much like Cassidy and Cheevers, Marchand agrees the ability to skate is similar path (USHL, UMinn) prior to signing with the Bruins. Jimmy essential, but it’s only a starting point. Vesey, now with Buffalo, declared UFA after getting his degree at Harvard in the spring of 2016, ultimately leading to his $7.5M two-year “The biggest thing now in the league, for sure, is skating,” he said. “No deal with the Rangers. question, if you can’t skate, teams aren’t even looking at you. But the one thing I think a lot of people are overlooking now is hockey sense. If you Overall, it is surprising that more NCAA kids don’t exploit the four-year can skate, sure, you’re going to get a look. But if you don’t have hockey path to UFA that the CBA offers them (at least until the Lords of the sense, hockey IQ, you are not going to play. Boards one day claw it back at the bargaining table). Most of the more talented kids who’ve been drafted opt to turn pro after a year or two of “It’s one thing to be able to skate up and down the ice, but if you can’t college, obligating them to sign with the club that drafted them. Rather read the game, and you are missing assignments, and you can’t play than take the minimal risk of getting hurt in school, they opt to sign, defense . . . you might be able to play on a last-place team, but you grabbing the dough and eschewing their degrees. In many cases, aren’t going to play on a good team. To be a good player who particularly among the kids drafted in the later rounds, they’d be more consistently plays in this league, hockey IQ is probably second . . . and prudent to play the four years, grow their bodies and their game, get their then it’s skills . . . stickhandling and shooting and stuff like that.” degrees, and put themselves out to bid come August.

The player bereft of hockey IQ, added Marchand, ultimately isn’t able to In Marino’s case, his rights were dealt to Pittsburgh and he decided to make plays. sign there (two years/$3.5M total) rather than test the market. He is not related to the Revere-born billionaire Roger Marino, one of the co- “Hockey IQ, you either have it or you don’t,” he said. “You can’t teach it. founders of EMC in Hopkinton, who paid some $40 million for the You can either see plays at a high speed or you can’t. It’s why you see Penguins in ’97, then eagerly sold it to Mario Lemieux and friends in so many guys in the minors who have all the skill in the world . . . they 1999 — prior to the NHL finally winning cost-certainty with the lost can skate like the wind, but they don’t have the mental capability to play season of 2004-05 that led to the salary cap. in this league. That’s why a small number of guys make it to the NHL and everyone else can’t. It’s more than just skating and shooting and The Penguins today play in a sparkling downtown arena, the franchise stickhandling. A lot of guys have that. There are plenty of guys in the easily worth upward of $1 billion. The Seattle franchise (Original No. 32) with way more skill, and can skate better than a lot of is coming aboard of an expansion fee of $650 million. NHL guys, but they just can’t think the same way.” ROAD TRIP Dating back to his arrival as a rookie under then coach Mike Sullivan, Bergeron has been lauded for his hockey smarts. Bergeron and his Spooner has been man on the move Team Canada teammate Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh’s superstar center, Ryan “Suitcase” Spooner has moved on to his second team, KHL Minsk rank among the smartest players in the game. Dynamo, after a very brief stay in Lugano, where GM Hnat Domenichelli “There’s a lot of instinct that goes into playing the game of hockey,” said over the summer was touting the ex-Bruin forward as a potential Bergeron. “When you talk about hockey IQ, I think it’s about positioning, offensive threat for his Swiss squad. it’s about reading the play and seeing what is going to unfold during any Once considered a building of the future here, Spooner, 27, suited particular play.” up for only two games (0-0—0) in Lugano, where he had become one of Bergeron credits “a lot of great coaches along the way,” as well as coach Sami Kapanen’s nightly scratches. In the end, the sides mutually linemates, for helping him develop his mental game. Some of that began dissolved the contract. to bake in, he thinks, during his childhood playing days in Quebec. “It didn’t seem right to block his career,” said Domenichelli, further noting Capitals now that he’s mixing in regularly as one of DC’s top six Spooner’s professionalism throughout his drive-thru stay in the bucolic forwards. Through his first 16 games, the menacing 6-4 Wilson logged city. only 14 penalty minutes, less than half the career average he brought into the new season after rolling up 934 PIMs in 454 games. The Capitals Now in Belarus, wedged between Ukraine and Lithuania, Spooner is are here Nov. 16 and Wilson most likely will ride on the top line with Alex seeing a little more action under Toronto-born coach Craig Woodcroft. Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom or second line with Evgeny Kuznetsov Headed into the weekend, Spoons stood 0-2—2 (albeit with a minus-5) in and Jakub Vrana . . . Fine story in The Athletic last week by Buffalo- five games. based John Vogl, who tracked down ex-Sabre Ville Leino in Finland. The Minsk roster includes a smattering of North Americans, including Leino, an embarrassing bust in Buff after signing there in 2011 for six other NHL short-timers Drew Shore, Shane Price, and Stefan Elliott. The years/$27 million, now runs his own successful clothing line, Billebeino, franchise goaltender, for his third season there, is ex-Sabres goalie in Finland. While sidelined by injury in Buffalo, Leino began to draw and Jhonas Enroth. one of his first paintings now serves as the company’s brick-shaped logo. Had it not been for the hard times, concedes Leino, his now booming Spooner, chosen 45th overall by the Bruins in the 2010 draft, had a good business likely never would have taken root . . . Hockey, and the entire fit here, particularly with Bruce Cassidy, his fellow Ottawa son, behind the private school community, lost a great friend Oct. 30 with the passing of bench. Cassidy knew when and how to use him, but then came the former Noble and Greenough coach Richard T. Flood. “Floodo” coached chance to add Rick Nash at the February 2018 trade deadline and GM hockey for 20-plus years at Nobles, prior to becoming headmaster of the Don Sweeney folded him into the deal with the Rangers. Salisbury (Conn.) School. His indelible touch on the game continues on in son Sam, executive producer and president of sports at NBC and the Over the summer of ’18, the smitten Blueshirts then promptly extended NBC Sports Network. A memorial service will be held Nov. 30, 2 p.m., at Spooner for two years at $4M per, then couldn’t wait to dish him away to St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Jamestown, R.I. . . . Ex-Bruins back the Oilers, who later the same season moved him on to the Canucks. liner Mike Milbury, ever pugnacious as part of NBC’s hockey broadcast Noticing a trend here? team, will be the keynote speaker at the Ace Bailey Foundation’s annual Spooner now is playing for his sixth team (including the AHL Bakersfield Face Off for Ace bash March 11 at the Royal Sonesta in Cambridge. For Condors) since being dealt for Nash. For this season and next, he is more info, visit acebailey.org. pocketing a $1.3M, the combined funds of the Rangers and Canucks, who ultimately bought out that final season of his deal. Boston Globe LOADED: 11.10.2019 PLAYING THE ANGLES

No line from BC to the big time

Adam Samuelsson, the 6-foot-6-inch, 235-pound son of former NHL defenseman/villain Ulf Samuelsson, continues his, shall we say, unorthodox path in hopes of following his old man’s footprints to the NHL.

The junior Samuelsson, 5 inches taller than his dad, made his OHL debut Friday night against Niagara, just days after signing with Sudbury. The Wolves owned his rights, dating to the OHL’s 2016 draft.

Samuelsson was never drafted by an NHL club, in part due to his lack of requisite giddy-up. Just over a year ago, he reported to Boston College as a freshman. His stay at the Heights lasted but seven games (0-0—0) before he shipped off to USHL Sioux City (not to be confused with the late, great Hilltop dining room). He put up modest numbers for the remainder of last season. This season, he again wasn’t producing much (0-5—5 in 10 games) before shipping over to northern Ontario. Now he has to hope the OHL grind helps him earn a pro look.

Ulf, now 55, recently hooked on as a consultant with the expansion franchise in Seattle, where old pal Ron Francis (teammate in Hartford and Pittsburgh) is the GM. More recently, he had a two-year hitch (2017- 19) as an assistant coach with the Blackhawks.

It’s very long ago now, but Samuelsson, then with the Penguins, was the guy who put the wrecking ball to Cam Neely’s career with a cheap shot in the 1991 playoffs — a hit that led to a bloody/bony mass (myositis ossificans) forming in Neely’s thigh and contributing to his early retirement at age 31 in the summer of ’96.

ETC.

They were quite the 1-2 punch

GLOBE STAFF David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand stood 1-2 in league scoring early last week. If they can keep on keepin’ on, they’ll be the first Black-and-Gold couplet to lead the league in scoring since 1974-75, when Bobby Orr (135 points) and (127) led the field. Orr and Espo were the game’s top two scorers in five of six seasons, 1969- 70 through ’74-75. In two of those seasons, the Bruins had the top four scorers. To wit: Esposito (152), Orr (139), John Bucyk (106), and Ken Hodge (105) in 1970-71; Esposito (145), Orr (122), Hodge (105), and Wayne Cashman (89) in 1973-74 . . . Former Cornell forward Cole Bardreau (Class of ’15) scored the game-winner to lead the Islanders last week to their 10th consecutive win, and he did it on a penalty shot that also provided him with his first career goal (a feat accomplished only six other times over the last 84 years). Bardreau, who grew up outside Rochester, N.Y., spent four years in the minors for the Flyers and never got a call to Philly. Now it looks like he may have a fit on Barry Trotz’s fourth line with Jonathan Ross and first-round pick Oliver Wahlstrom, the first-round pick (No. 11/2018) who turned pro last spring after only one season at BC . . . Looks like Tom Wilson has modified his act with the 1160689 Boston Bruins BRUINS NOTE: The power-play goal that was credited to Torey Krug has now been given to Patrice Bergeron by the league. Bergeron appeared to have gotten the tip on Krug’s power-play shot that beat Bruins look to put Detroit loss behind them Jonathan Bernier. The domino effect of that is David Pastrnak’s secondary assist was taken off the board and his point streak comes to an end at 13 games.

By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald

November 9, 2019 at 4:30 PM Boston Herald LOADED: 11.10.2019

DETROIT — For much of the uninspiring 60 minutes of Bruins hockey on Friday night at Little Caesars Arena, Brad Marchand was at his scrappy best and worst.

First he took an undisciplined offensive zone penalty — responding to the rough treatment that he and his linemates will surely be seeing for the rest of the season — that gave the Red Wings a lead they would never relinquish. In the second period, with his team meandering listlessly toward another loss, Marchand finally had enough of Filip Hronek crosschecking him in the back and threw down with the Detroit defenseman. From that point on, Marchand seemed to be in an endless succession of scrums.

But while Marchand displayed some of his textbook feistiness on the ice, he remained the picture of calm after the game. Yes, it was the B’s worst loss of the year, to the NHL’s worst team. It was their second consecutive regulation defeat. And it was the third game in a week in that the B’s have not been close to their best.

Yet just as the B’s kept their flashy wins in perspective, Marchand wasn’t ready to sound any alarms over this latest loss.

“It’s going to happen,” said Marchand matter-of-factly. “What’s our (record), 11-3-2 or something? We’re not worried. Obviously we’re not happy with it. We’ll regroup and get ready for the next one. But you try and stay even-keeled, whether you’re playing well or you’re playing bad. You roll with the punches, get ready for the next game, take what you can learn and move on. You can’t get stuck on a game in the first week of November.”

There was also an extenuating circumstance that is starting to have an effect on this team — injuries. With Jake DeBrusk, Joakim Nordstrom, Karson Kuhlman, Par Londholm and David Backes already on the shelf, coach Bruce Cassidy got thrown a curveball on Friday when Brett Ritchie, who took part in the morning skate, fell ill and could not play, leaving the B’s down a forward.

Instead of forcing Steve Kampfer to play out of position, Cassidy instead chose to double shift a handful of his forwards.

Lost in that shuffle — as well as the with the five minor penalties the B’s took — was the third line of Anders Bjork, Charlie Coyle and Zach Senyshyn that was so effective in the loss in Montreal. Bjork (14:59) and Coyle (17:32) got their minutes, but Senyshyn was limited to a team low 7:58 and the unit never got any momentum going. It made for a disjointed product all night.

And another thing. The Red Wings played like they had this game circled on the calendar, which is always the case with Stanley Cup contenders/favorites. The B’s have to be ready for that kind of effort every night. The talent disparity in this league isn’t so great that the B’s can just show up and win — especially when you’re down a half dozen forwards.

“They showed up, emotionally, physically. We were a little too late to respond. Once we did, we started playing better. We just couldn’t get over the hump. I think we just fell behind too early,” said Torey Krug, adding the team’s pushback was, “Too little too late. We have a guy drop the gloves that shouldn’t have to, trying to get a spark going, trying to get our bench moving and not much of a response after that, but a couple of minutes later it started to show up and show in our game. But once we got to that point, there wasn’t enough to get over the hump.”

The B’s will get something of a re-do on Sunday night at the Garden when the Flyers, who can be much like the Wings — erratic, but not without talent — come to the Garden.

We’ll see if the Bruins can prevent this little dip from becoming a bona fide slump. 1160690 Boston Bruins of guys. If you get down that list of guys it’s either a good thing you’re comfortable enough to build them in, or the other end because guys are fatigued or hurt or sitting in the box.”

Bruins penalty kill equipped for all moments There are elements of being a good goal scorer, or a play-maker, or a stay-at-home defender. Being a good penalty kill takes different skills, and the type of skills that need to be honed all the time. By MARISA INGEMI | [email protected] | Boston Herald “Good skaters, guys who know the plan,” said Kuraly. “Those are the November 9, 2019 at 3:30 PM main things. Good sticks, and working well as a four-man unit, that’s a big thing. If there can be some familiarity with who you’re going out with,

like Bergy and March are pretty good at it and they’ve been going out Killing off six minutes of penalties isn’t something teams prepare for, but there for years together.” it’s a situation the Bruins faced last Saturday night against the Senators. Offside still a dilemma Brad Marchand ended up in the box for that length of time, accumulating The Bruins got burned once again this week from a controversial offside four minutes for spearing and two for a hook. The first minute was while call, this time in Montreal. The officials decided Charlie Coyle did not the Bruins were already shorthanded, forcing a period of 5-on-3 before have possession of the puck crossing the blue line, and negated the their most exhausting kill of the season. goal; the Bruins would have taken a one-goal lead, and went on to lose They made the kill; the Senators 5.4 percent power play isn’t exactly the game. worthy of inspiration, but any team with a man advantage for that long According to the rule, “A player in possession and control of the puck has, well, an advantage. prior to entering the attacking zone and precedes the puck into the zone It’s a testament to how solid the Bruins penalty kill has been all season, is not considered offside.” illustrated in one chunk of time. One look at the play shows Coyle has possession, even if its not right on “We don’t prepare for that,” said Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. his stick. “That’s a bit of knowing who your next guys up are. So now we’ve got, “You could argue it was a possession play,” said Cassidy in Montreal. going into the game, (Par) Lindholm and (Joakim) Nordstrom who have “But my beef with that — some are going to go your way, some are not done some killing aren’t there. Brad Marchand is a big part of your kill — ours are not going our way lately but I assume they will straighten — and sitting there for six minutes.” is that the rule was put into place for egregious (offsides). They’re over Even without some of their regular killers — Karson Kuhlman was also there for three minutes, so what is the purpose of this rule. Either you find out of the lineup — the Bruins have as much penalty killing depth as any something or you don’t. Three minutes, now you’re looking for something team in the league, and are equipped to survive that type of situation. for it to be offside.”

It starts with having a group already committed to doing a solid job Who are the pretenders? putting in the work in hockey’s most strenuous situation. Some surprising starts are always in the cards, but typically teams start “I think you just realize some guys’ jobs are some things, and when an to show their true colors heading into the winter. opportunity like that comes you look at it as time to help the team,” said The first-place Oilers lost four of their last six heading into the weekend, Sean Kuraly, who kills penalties regularly for the Bruins. “It’s an including to struggling Detroit and Florida squads, after a rampant start. opportunity to be able to use your skills and preparation and all that to The Sabres have dropped back down to earth with four losses in five get back into the game.” games, ranging from shootout defeats to 1-0 losses to giving up six The Bruins depth was tested as much as ever last week since so many goals. Even Arizona, which had a surge for a bit, lost three of five after guys were out of the lineup and Marchand was in the box, and it was they started to let up some goals. such a long period of time; one advantage is the Bruins large On the other end, Dallas came back to life with four straight wins, and accumulation of points this early in the season, so they could afford to, as seven in eight games, and the Sharks won a couple in a row after being Cassidy calls it, build guys into the kill. declared dead in the water. “You start to go down the list, there’s (Patrice Bergeron), he’s the best Maybe October hockey should be taken with a grain of salt. guy, then you have (Anders) Bjork, Danton Heinen, you want to keep Kuraly and (Chris) Wagner together,” said Cassidy. “Maybe (Charlie) Coyle mixed in. But the last thing you want to end up with is Bjork- Heinen, who haven’t done a whole lot, get stuck together. So you’re Boston Herald LOADED: 11.10.2019 going through in your head, and then all of a sudden it’s 5-on-3, so that throws a wrench into it as well.”

There are some players who just aren’t penalty killers. Jake DeBrusk and David Pastrnak aren’t going to be called upon to fill that kind of role.

That’s a chance for other guys in the lineup, like Kuraly, to make their imprint on the game. Players like him who have been on the kill almost their entire career have an approach that keeps them ready for the situation.

“The most important thing is keeping shifts to a reasonable length,” said Kuraly. “If you keep shifts to a reasonable length and don’t get caught out there you can keep it pretty manageable.”

So many things in hockey are about preparation and having systems in place for whatever situation arises. A long penalty kill, though, is not one of them; they practice at the penalty kill, but any period more than two minutes, other than the occasional double minor, is too rare to commit too much time to.

That’s where the systems are heavily relied on to be in place when a moment like that does arise.

“You’re kind of doing it on the fly,” said Cassidy. “We know which guys we use, what Plan B and C is, that’s usually Heinen, (David) Krejci can kill a little bit, but we didn’t have to go down that list. So we have the list 1160691 Boston Bruins Historically, November and December are very good months for Rask so I’m going to give him a little rope to see if he can maintain his high level of play while liberally using Jaroslav Halak as the backup over the next Hagg Bag mailbag: Airing of grievances a month into the season few months as well.

I am certainly not afraid to kick up a goaltender controversy if the circumstances dictate it and Rask’s play goes into the dumpster, but we By Joe Haggerty are nowhere near that right now with the goaltending. It’s one bad game for the B’s goaltenders and that’s it. They are entitled to one of those November 09, 2019 9:18 PM every once in a while.

If DeBrusk can go [against the Flyers] Cassidy should give Senyshyn a A light week for the Hagg Bag mailbag this week with the Bruins playing shot @ RW with Krejci. Everyone else on the roster has been given a three games and readying for another one on Sunday against the Flyers chance. Senyshyn would add speed and size to Krejci's line. And playing that’s all of a sudden taken on greater importance. Coming off the half- with 2 superior offensive players may elevate Senyshyn's game. Can't hearted, terrible loss to the Red Wings in Detroit on Friday night, perhaps hurt to try it. Bruins are too aggravated for words or suggestions. JH: If the Bruins continue to suffer injuries up front, I think you may see But the truth is that the loss to the Red Wings, for now, is the outlier in Senyshyn at least get a look with Krejci for a few shifts at some point what’s otherwise been an overwhelmingly impressive season, and it during these games. But as good as he was against Montreal on could just be a one-game hiccup after a pair of high intensity back-to- Tuesday night, Senyshyn was unimpressive in his 7:58 of ice time back games against Pittsburgh and Montreal. Or the last few games against the Red Wings on Friday. He wasn’t strong on the puck, he could be a sign that the Bruins are starting to get a little looser with their wasn’t doing anything offensively and he wasn’t using his speed or size play and bad habits are beginning to creep into their overall game. to any impact in the game. The third line with Senyshyn, Charlie Coyle and Anders Bjork wasn’t anywhere near as good in their second go- Now on to the bag: round.

Joe, Maybe Bruins are just overrated? ONE TOP line, great D, good goaltending, bad media. What do you think the Bruins are going to do about the logjam on D that they have? Obviously it’s good to have more bodies than you need for JH: Bad media? Bad media? At least the Bruins have one top line. The the playoffs. But once Miller and Moore are healthy they’ll have 9 guys Habs don’t have top lines and they don’t have great D. Instead they capable of playing NHL minutes plus the guys in Providence they think caught the Bruins playing their third game in four days after emptying the are close to ready (Lauzon, Vaakanainen). They have to trade at least tank the night before against Pittsburgh at home, and were also one of these guys, right? But will they be able to with both Moore and extremely lucky that Tuukka Rask had his worst game in about two Miller have had somewhat pedestrian seasons, large-ish contracts, and seasons. Nothing to puff your chest up about, anonymous Habs fan now having injury concerns attached to them? What do you think they’re account. going to do? Haggs' Power Rankings: Bruins displaced from top spot Best, Josh Brolin is the voice for Thanos. How the hell do you get an Oscar for --Will that???

JH: I actually don’t think they need to trade anybody unless it’s for cap JH: I thought Josh Brolin had one of the best CGI performances of all reasons. They’ll certainly risk losing Steve Kampfer on waivers by time as Thanos in Infinity War and Endgame. He was more deserving in sending him to Providence if they need the roster spot at the NHL level, Infinity War if you were going to talk about him for any kind of Academy and I think perhaps Connor Clifton could benefit from some AHL time as Awards, but let’s be honest here: The only actor with any shot of Oscar well given his recent level of play. I’m not sure whether it’s because consideration in Endgame would be Robert Downey Jr. in his Iron Man Clifton knows Miller is close to a return and that means somebody is swan song. He was phenomenal in that movie as he’s been right along going to be the odd man out, or if he’s just struggling with consistency as for his entire decade of work as the face of the MCU. a player that hasn’t completely proven they are an NHL D-man over the course of a full season. Best CGI of all-time and another Oscar-worthy performance: Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy as brought to life by Andy Serkis. That was Clifton has just one point in 14 games this season – the beauty of a goal award-worthy acting in an epic movie trilogy, but those kinds of movies scored against the Canadiens – and has been a defensive liability over almost always get snubbed by the awards voters. I don’t see that the last couple of games while being a minus player in two of his last changing anytime soon, especially with Statler and Waldorf (Scorsese three games. He hasn’t really created much offensively to offset some of and Coppolla) now openly complaining about comic book movies. As if the defensive issues and truth be told he’s not doing a lot to differentiate cranking out mob movies one after another is any kind of artistic himself while in the lineup. A healthy Kevan Miller would be much more accomplishment. of a difference-maker for the Black and Gold than Clifton, so perhaps they will risk losing him via waivers. Joe,

The bottom line: I don’t think the imminent return of Miller is going to Something I was always curious about. On a play like that with the [Torey force the Bruins to do anything major, but cap-wise and roster-wise the Krug/Patrice Bergeron] deflection, if the official scorer isn’t sure if the guy return of John Moore later this month may be a little more difficult to deflected it do they get any input from the players themselves about who navigate for the Black and Gold. All that being said, you can never have scored? The guys on the ice know who scored. too many quality NHL defensemen in the organization. The chances of JH: Sometimes the referees will ask the guys on the ice who scored. everybody staying healthy through this month aren’t very good, so it Sometimes somebody from the team will notify the off-ice officials could also be that an injury to somebody else comes around the same between periods and the NHL off-ice officials always review the video time that one, or both, D-men are healthy and ready to play. following the period to make sure they got the initial call right. That goes So far, so good for B's wing Zach Senyshyn double for plays where it’s unclear on assists, or goals. Amazingly the goal in the Detroit loss was never changed from Torey Krug to Patrice Have we already reached the "Tuukka is slumping- time for Halak to start Bergeron even though it seemed pretty clear on the video the puck 10 in a row" portion of the year? Seems a bit early for that - no?? changed direction after Krug’s point shot was redirected by Bergeron in front of the net. So even with all of the tools at their disposal, the right call JH: No. I’m not ready to hit the panic button after the notoriously slow- still sometimes eludes the final score sheet. starting Rask had one of the best months of October in his entire NHL career. Rask is still third in the NHL in goals against average (1.99) and What did we really expect from two refs from Quebec talking to a fifth in save percentage (.933) even after the debacle in Montreal. He "situation room" in Toronto about a questionable call in Montreal against sucked against the Habs and let up three soft goals. There’s no two ways the Bruins? about it. But the loss in Detroit was not his fault on a deflection in front along with two PP goals for the Wings and an empty netter at the end. JH: That’s some X-Files level conspiracy theory stuff, Craig, and I’m here for it. The bottom line, in my mind, is that Charlie Coyle had control of the puck once it hit his skate and was between his legs entering the offensive zone. David Pastrnak said it best the other day:

“When you have the puck under your control, you can skate backward with the puck [entering the zone], right? You can be out of the zone and still not be offside. We’re NHL players, so when you have the puck on your skates it’s pretty much under your control. It’s a tough call,” said Pastrnak. “We are not referees...but this is the NHL. We are all skilled players here. Once you have the puck on your skate, it’s pretty much under your control and it doesn’t matter if the puck is behind the blue line first or not. I think it wasn’t offside, but it’s just a tough call and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

So it never should have been called off-side at any point during the review, and saying that when it takes three minutes to pore over instant replays it’s probably time to let the play stand as it was called on the ice. Take it from the guy that’s on pace to score 30,000 goals this season for the Bruins.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160692 Boston Bruins aren’t a true indication of the first-year goalie’s play, because the team hasn’t played well in front of him.

“He’s been as advertised,” Leach said. “He’s a worker. He’s learning the Down on the farm: First-round pick Senyshyn’s arrival shows Bruins ropes. He has some high-end ability and his athleticism is through the pipeline is working as planned roof.”

Leach has been impressed with Keyser’s compete level, while he By Joe McDonald continues to work on his positional play and fundamentals.

Nov 9, 2019 The Bruins didn’t rush Tuukka Rask’s development and the current No. 1 spent two seasons in Providence before he was called up to Boston for good in 2009-10. Keyser understands his path could be similar. He doesn’t want to be a “flash in the pan.” The “Down on the Farm” report will periodically highlight goings-on in the Bruins minor league system. “Whatever it takes to make sure you’re completely groomed and all aspects of your game are where they need to be before you make the The 2019-20 season is only a month old, but the Bruins organizational jump is the way I look at it,” Keyser said. “For me, there’s no rush to get synergy has already been tested because of injuries. anywhere. It’s about making sure I develop the best way I can and I’m Anders Bjork, Peter Cehlarik, Cameron Hughes and Zach Senyshyn dominating at each level before I move up. This way, when I do move up have all been recalled from Providence at different times and no doubt I’m prepared for those opportunities.” more transactions will be coming over the course of the season. It’s not Even though his stay in Providence has been brief, Keyser believes he’s only about being recalled; it’s about being ready to contribute once adjusting well to the pro game and is becoming acclimated to the speed promoted. at this level. If a player like Senyshyn isn’t prepared and doing the things he needs to Snap Shots accomplish during the course of an NHL game then that means there’s a disconnect, or lack of communication, within the organization. P-Bruins forward Brendan Gaunce was sporting a full cage at Thursday’s practice at Schneider Arena and it’s possible he could be cleared to Fortunately, the former first-round pick played well against the Montreal return to game action on Saturday versus the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Canadiens on Tuesday at Bell Centre and earned another game when The 25-year-old forward was on the receiving end of a nasty, blindside hit the Bruins traveled to Detroit to face the Red Wings Friday for their 4-2 by winger Michael McCarron during a game on Oct. 18. loss at Little Caesar’s Arena. Gaunce was taken off the ice on a stretcher and McCarron was “The last thing we want to do is put a kid at a disadvantage if he doesn’t suspended for two games … Good to see former Bruins forward and know what he’s doing,” said P-Bruins coach Jay Leach, who’s in constant Stanley Cup winner Chris Kelly on the ice with the P-Bruins on Thursday. communication with Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy. “We try our best to The Bruins hired him during the summer to serve as a player make sure that they’re doing what the coaches up there are wanting development coordinator. He’s been traveling a lot, but he plans to spend them to do.” more time with the players in Providence … With all the injuries in Boston, and the Bruins in need of reinforcements, there’s a trickle-down Many scouts have doubted Senyshyn, the No. 15 overall pick in 2015, effect and the P-Bruins could use some help from their ECHL team in could make an impact in the NHL. On Tuesday, he kept it simple and it Atlanta. At this time, Leach said the organization is hesitant to make any worked out. sudden transactions.

When an injury occurs in Boston, Cassidy examines the lineup and “It’s a fine line, obviously,” Leach said. “If you bring a guy up, you want to figures out which holes need to be filled with the best possible player. No make sure he’s getting a chance to play, especially early on in their matter which player gets the nod, he’ll be familiar with the system and will careers, and early on in the season.” know exactly what he needs to do if given the opportunity.

“Our organization, in general, prides itself on all being on the same page,” Leach said. The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019

The coaching staff then provides Leach with feedback with whether or not that specific player was properly prepared to help the Bruins have success.

“We’re trying our best to implement that down here, so when our guys do go up they’re a little bit further along and they’re able to hopefully, seamlessly transition into that lineup,” Leach said. “You’re not going to survive in the NHL if you’re not that way.”

Given the fact the Bruins reached Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final last June, it’s understood the Bruins could need help more often than not this season and those prospects in Providence need to be ready.

Another quality tandem

As goalie prospect Daniel Vladar continues to rehab from a high-ankle sprain, Providence’s tandem of Max Lagace and Kyle Keyser has been solid, which is a big reason for the P-Bruins’ 7-3-0-2 record to start the season.

To add organizational depth at the position, the Bruins signed Lagace to a one-year contract over the summer. The 26-year-old netminder has 17 games of NHL experience with the Vegas Golden Knights and would be an option in Boston if he’s needed due to injuries. Meanwhile, Lagace has accepted his role in Providence and has a 5-1-1 record, along with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage.

“Max has been really good,” Leach said. “He’s played in some tough buildings and has come away with some shutouts and victories that were huge for us.”

After Vladar’s injury, Keyser was recalled from Atlanta of the ECHL on Oct. 17. The 20-year-old is 1-2-1 with a 3.27 GAA. Leach said the stats 1160693 Buffalo Sabres But Jimmy Vesey has been a bust, with no goals in 14 games (in a contract year, no less), and it again renews the question of why Botterill just didn't bring back Jason Pominville.

The long journey is over but Sabres' intrigue is just beginning The Sabres don't create enough traffic at the net and, until Saturday, continue to pass up too many good looks. Their special teams were winning games early, but they're losing games now. By Mike Harrington Buffalo was 0-4 on the power play on this trip and only 4 for 7 on the Published November 9, 2019|Updated November 9, 2019 penalty kill. The Sabres got schooled by the veteran Lightning on both sides of the battle.

"Definitely our power play let us down, as did our PK here this weekend," STOCKHOLM – This was easily the Buffalo Sabres' best performance in Krueger said. "We are a team learning to play with the top teams in the more than two weeks. But consolation prizes weren't being thrown league, and Tampa Bay is a team where if you give them a tiny little around the dressing room deep inside Ericsson Globe late Saturday window they take it away from you. They did that again tonight." night. It's a shame really. The Sabres, for once, had super life off the opening Too many warning bells are flashing around this club. faceoff. "It's frustrating. That's the bottom line," captain Jack Eichel said after the The Sabres had only 22 shots on goal Friday but came close to that in 5-3 loss to Tampa Bay, the second in two nights here against the the first period Saturday with 17 on the way to 43. In the third period, Lightning. "I thought we did a lot of good things. It just seemed like that Olofsson thrilled his home country with his first 5-on-5 goal, a whirling timely moment where we needed a goal, we couldn't find one. beauty that burned fellow Swede Victor Hedman and temporarily got the "It was a great experience, very unique. Once-in-a-lifetime, whatever you Sabres back within a goal. want to call it. But we just lost four points to a divisional opponent, so it's "We have to build on what we did today," Johansson said. "I really felt not too much of a success." like we played a good game at times. It's an unbelievable team we Sure isn't. played and 5-on-5 I felt we were a better team."

Eichel's garbage-time goal with less than 38 seconds left was all that Before Krueger began his final press conference of the week to discuss kept the Sabres from two goals or less for the seventh consecutive the loss, he made sure to thank Stockholm for its hospitality. Always game. The Sabres are basically playing with eight or nine forwards who gracious, he exited the dais with a "Thank you, Sweden" salute. can't score, with a power play in a funk and with a penalty kill that isn't As an organization and a team, the Sabres have been eyeing this trip for bailing its team out at all. months. They knew it would be magical at times and stressful at others, "We wanted a stronger compete and we felt that we had it," coach Ralph like when the international media would swarm their dressing room after Krueger said after his team had a season-high 43 shots on goal. "There games and practices. were stretches of the game today where we were very close to what we But Krueger likes to say everything is an experience and that's what want to be as a team and how we want to play." Eichel & Co. will see someday when they're in the playoffs. Close isn't good enough, of course. At this point, the Sabres are on the Come Wednesday when they get back to practice, it will be the return to path to raise the "Best Team in October 2019" banner next to the "Best the regularly scheduled hockey season. The Sabres have a lot of work to Team in November 2018" one they earned last year. do, on the ice and in the front office. A big journey is over, but a new one Buffalo fans are on a pretty good run of being ahead of the curve right is about to start. now. They were all over the Bills for not getting the ball in Devin This is going to get very interesting. Singletary's hands, and rejoiced when Sean McDermott and Brian Daboll finally came to their senses last week against the Redskins. "It was outstanding in every way except for our results," Krueger said of the club's Scandinavian adventure. "The hospitality was felt by the team And there wasn't much celebration from the locals over the Sabres' 8-1-1 the whole time we were here. It was a wonderful experience that we'll start, either. A weak schedule like the Bills had made it feel like fool's look back on with pleasure once these games become lessons that make gold and so did an overachieving power play. The prevailing wisdom us stronger in the future." around town – and, frankly, of most hockey experts around North America – is that the Sabres were coming back to the pack.

And it wasn't the residual effects from watching last season go south. It's Buffalo News LOADED: 11.10.2019 real. That's four consecutive losses in regulation and a 1-5-1 mark, in which the only win was at pathetic Detroit when Linus Ullmark stole a game with a 41-save shutout.

The envelope needs to get pushed on a top-six forward. Now.

Starting Thursday against Carolina, the Sabres have 10 games in the final 17 days of November. It's a brutal schedule largely caused by the time it takes to get to and from Sweden and get used to the time change. General Manager probably doesn't want to risk suddenly getting thin on defense with that kind of schedule by making a trade.

He might have no choice. It doesn't seem like he can wait until the trade deadline in February. It seems like a big move needs to happen.

And we're not considering the callup of Tage Thompson as a big move, either. Thompson, for the record, should get summoned from Rochester and be in the lineup Thursday night because Vladimir Sobotka's injury suffered on Nikita Kucherov's scummy hit here Friday is expected to be a long-term situation.

But that shouldn't be Botterill's only move. Most of the GM's moves last summer have worked nicely. Any complaints about the promotion of Victor Olofsson or the acquisitions of Marcus Johansson, Henri Jokiharju and Colin Miller? Didn't think so. 1160694 Buffalo Sabres "The crowd was really good and it was fun to see all those Sabres fans out there. We didn't play well enough for them but it was cool that Sabres fans were here too."

Global Series trip is quite a present for fan from Belgium The fierce rivalry in hockey circles between Sweden and Finland is well- known, so how did Buffalo's Finns feel about spending a week on the soil of the other country? It was no problem. By Mike Harrington "I spend multiple weeks here every summer so it's almost like coming Published November 9, 2019|Updated November 9, 2019 home to me," said Rasmus Ristolainen, who scored the Golden Goal for Finland to beat Sweden in the 2014 World Junior championship gold

medal game. "I know the city really well because my trainer is from STOCKHOLM – There were probably a lot of unique stories in the crowd Stockholm. It's been good to be here with my team. again Saturday as the Buffalo Sabres had the eyes of the hockey world "The North Americans get to see what's it's like here, where we're all upon them during their NHL Global Series game against Tampa Bay. from. Finland is pretty similar, so our other teammates are getting a good But up in Section B19 of Ericsson Globe, Nicolas Dantinne and girlfriend taste of how we grew up. They see our background a little bit and it's Jessica Miclotte from Namur, Belgium, had a good tale to tell. great.

It was Dantinne's first Sabres game since a one-game trip to Buffalo in Fellow Finn Henri Jokiharju had parents and maternal grandparents in 2011. How did he become a Sabres fan? He got hooked on television, the crowd. during the 2008 game where scored a hat trick and the "Having my family here is unbelievable," Jokiharju said. "I never thought Sabres used a six-goal third-period to come back and beat the Lightning, my grandparents would be able to see me play in the NHL but I'm very 7-4, in Buffalo. happy about that. "I saw the Sabres' environment with Rick Jeanneret as a commentator. "The Swedes on our team are all really nice guys. A lot of times, The energy was different than the other teams," Dantinne said. "The Europeans understand other Europeans a little bit better. It's nice having Thomas Vanek hat trick was amazing and got me to the Sabres and I've lots of European guys on our team." never left following them on MSG, WGR and The Buffalo News, of course." Ristolainen said he's been very impressed with how Jokiharju has fit into the Buffalo lineup since being acquired from Chicago over the summer. Dantinne, who works in the digital printing industry, came to Stockholm on a 35th birthday gift from his girlfriend when his day came in April. He "Before this season, here's someone I had never seen play and didn't remembered his 2011 visit was a loss to Philadelphia with goals by Luke know. I had barely heard the name," Ristolainen said. "He was in the Adam and Jason Pominville. minors a lot. He's played really good hockey and earned his spot with the team." "I stayed in love with the club because we visited the city," he said. "I love the games. I don't like any other commentator the way I like Rick Jeanneret." Buffalo News LOADED: 11.10.2019 Like plenty of Buffalo fans, Dantinne is fretting the Sabres' 8-1-1 start was a mirage.

"I'm a little bit more confident but I'm afraid we'll still be short for the playoffs," he said. "They make a good start and then the other teams discover the system. I hope I'm wrong for this year. If they make some moves before trade deadline for the playoffs. I hope that (GM Jason) Botterill will do something."

Is there another Buffalo trip in the offing?

"I told my girlfriend if they make the Stanley Cup, maybe the Eastern conference final I will think about it," he said. "I've already decided the next time I come will be for a playoff game. We already came to a regular season game."

Marcus Johansson could only laugh at the interference penalty he was nailed for in the second period of Saturday's 5-3 loss when he collided with Tampa Bay's Mathieu Joseph in the offensive zone. Seven seconds later, Victor Hedman's power-play goal put Tampa Bay up for good, 2-1.

"I mean, I don't know what to do. I can't just disappear," Johansson said. "Honestly to me, they had been out there for almost two minutes. It felt like the guy kind of jumped into me. I don't know where to go."

"Listen, it's a fast game," said a diplomatic Buffalo captain Jack Eichel. "Things happen in a split-second when you're playing. When you have the puck on your stick, things happen in a split second and you've got to make a play. And with the refs, it's pretty similar.

"It seemed like the call went against us because their guy fell down. I don't know. It's obviously frustrating. You can't point the finger at that."

Rasmus Dahlin took an all-Sweden ceremonial faceoff for the Sabres against Hedman, with the puck being dropped by retired Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall.

"It was pretty cool, Kronwall there," said Dahlin. "I was a little bit scared because I've never done it before. In front of all this Swedish crowd too, it was pretty cool. This week has been really good. It's been as good as it could be."

Like the other Swedes in the games, Dahlin was thrilled to hear the sing- a-long that filled the air during the Swedish national anthem. 1160695 Buffalo Sabres Shuffle 'em up: With Sobotka out with a right leg injury suffered on the Kucherov hit, Krueger did some surgery on his forward lines for this game Johansson got two new wingers in Jimmy Vesey and Mittelstadt, The Wraparound from Sweden: Tampa Bay Lightning 5, Buffalo Sabres 3 who moved from center. Evan Rodrigues came into the lineup to center Conor Sheary and Jeff Skinner, who was moved away from Johansson for the first time this year.

By Mike Harrington

Published November 9, 2019|Updated November 9, 2019 Buffalo News LOADED: 11.10.2019

STOCKHOLM – The offensive production remains too inconsistent. As a result, the Buffalo Sabres' long-awaited trip to Sweden was rendered a complete dud.

The Sabres had a season-high 43 shots on goal and 74 shot attempts Saturday but didn't put nearly enough pucks in the net as the Tampa Bay Lightning pulled away late for a 5-3 win over Buffalo in the final Global Series game of the weekend in Ericsson Globe.

Sam Reinhart scored in the first period for Buffalo and Victor Olofsson used a sensational solo effort to get the Sabres within 3-2 at 4:14 of the third period. For a few minutes, that got the Buffalo fans in the split sellout crowd of 13,339 thinking about a big comeback.

It didn't last long. Yanni Gourde slipped around Casey Mittelstadt and scored right off a faceoff at 9:48 to make it 4-2 and Mathieu Joseph slid another puck under Carter Hutton from in tight at 10:55 to put the Lightning up by three and end the Sabres' hopes.

Jack Eichel's garbage time power-play goal with 37.3 seconds left accounted for the final score.

The records: The Sabres fell to 9-6-2. They are 0-4 in November and 1- 5-1 in their last seven games. Tampa Bay (8-5-2) got within two points of Buffalo in the Atlantic Division. Buffalo had a 43-40 edge in shots, with the 83 shots the most combined in a Sabres game this season.

"We played good enough to win today," said Sabres center Marcus Johansson. "We had enough shots and opportunities and the puck didn't seem to go our way. That'ts the way it is sometimes. We have another crack at this and have that many shots, maybe we score five or six. But not tonight."

Reino power: The goals by Reinhart and Eichel left them tied for the team lead with eight apiece. Jeff Skinner and Olofsson each have seven.

Home country hero: Defenseman Victor Hedman, the Lightning's lone Swede, put Tampa ahead for keeps with a slapshot on a power-play at 1:58 of the second period that snapped a 1-1 tie.

Stripes report: The Sabres were furious with referee Chris Lee on Friday night when no penalty was called on Nikita Kucherov's low bridge of Vladimir Sobotka. Lee and Eric Furlatt were the focus of Buffalo's ire again Saturday as two dicey calls led to Tampa power-play goals.

Hedman's goal came just seven seconds after an interference call on Johansson in the offensive zone on a play where Johansson and Tampa's Joseph were looking in opposite directions and bumped into each other. Several Buffalo players, including captain Jack Eichel, hopped to their feet in protest on the bench when that call was made.

"It was a moment that shifted the game away from us," said coach Ralph Krueger. "It's questionable for sure and I probably shouldn't say more than that, other than there was a collision of two players moving through the same space and Johansson was the bigger and stronger of the two.

"But there's no excuses in this game. We had enough opportunity to manage the score here and we didn't do it. The only ones we should be angry at here is ourselves."

Tampa's first goal was also a tough one for the Sabres to take. Pat Maroon scored it at 17:02 of the first period on the back end of a double deflection with Brandon Montour in the box for roughing. Yanni Gourde took a shot that first struck Colin Miller, then hit Maroon and finally fluttered past Carter Hutton. The Montour penalty came as he roughed up Tampa's Tyler Johnson after a whistle while several players were pushing and shoving in front of the Buffalo net.

Tough timing: Maroon's second goal came with only three seconds left in the second period as he and Gourde got behnd Jake McCabe and simply jammed a loose puck past Hutton just before the horn. 1160696 Buffalo Sabres

Stockholm Scenes: City Hall, site of the Nobel Prize banquet

By Mike Harrington

Published November 9, 2019|Updated November 9, 2019

STOCKHOLM -- Kings. Queens. Presidents. First Ladies. Nobel Prize laureates. They've all routinely walked the same stately staircase I traversed with a small tour group here.

The first thing you notice about the Blue Room is, well, there's nothing blue about it. Lots of marble flooring, red brick and gold walls. Not a speck of blue anywhere. So of course, the tour guide was immediately interrupted with the what's-in-a-name question

The explanation was that it was supposed to be an open-air courtyard to the sky (as the adjoining part is), but that's not going to work half the year due to Stockholm's rainy, snowy weather.

In addition, architects were also going to have the brick work painted blue but opted against that as well because they liked its natural look. But since there was so much publicity about the construction of the massive hall in the newspapers of the day, the name "Blue Room" was already ingrained in the citizens' minds so it was simply kept.

The pipe organ at its roof is one of Scandinavia's largest, with nearly 10,000 pipes, but it's difficult to play because the huge hall creates a sound delay of several seconds.

The banquet is held in the Blue Room and then the guests, all of whom are decked out in formal attire, retire to the Golden Room for the annual Nobel dance. The Golden Room is sensational for its detail, with mosaics lining the wall depicting the history of Sweden. The Queen of Lake Mälaren sits on a throne on one mosaic looking over the rest of the world.

A trip through City Hall is similar to one through the White House, where each room has a specific name and function. While the building does serve as the city's centerpiece for meetings of its council, it's far more known for its function rooms, outdoor courtyard, giant observation tower (which is closed for the winter) and views of the water.

Two highlights: The Oval Room features 17th Century french tapestries and is one of the most popular wedding sites in the city. The Prince's Gallery is a long room that features a view of the lake through windows at one side and a painting of the same scene on the other.

The amazing nugget on the tour? Until this building was constructed -- remember, it only dates to the 1900s -- Stockholm didn't have a city hall. The capital of the country had offices scattered about the city and no central place to conduct business or functions. By the looks of things, they fixed that issue here quite nicely.

Buffalo News LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160697 Buffalo Sabres pondering its goaltending choice. But there was almost zero chance of that and Carter Hutton will start tonight.

The Lightning are going with backup Curtis McElhinney, who is not off to Sabres game day: Looking for revenge against the Lightning the kind of start he had last year in Carolina. McElhinney is 1-1-2, 3.93/.899. That's a far cry from last year's numbers with the Hurricanes (20-11-2, 2.58/.912), when he was working under current Sabres coach By Mike Harrington Mike Bales.

Published Sat, Nov 9, 2019|Updated Sat, Nov 9, 2019 Rasmus Dahlin prior to today's game: "Yesterday, I was really nervous. There was a lot going on and Tampa came out hard. They were really

good. So today, I think all the nerves are gone and we can really play our STOCKHOLM — The weather in Sweden was sunny and picturesque game. Especially for me, I can hopefully just play hockey." during the first three days of the Sabres' trip here, albeit very cold with Lots of snarl: For two teams that had not met in nearly nine months, temperatures barely making it into the 30s. It was cloudy and drizzly on Friday's game was oddly chippy. The Kucherov hit probably ratcheted Thursday. Friday and Saturday have brought dark skies and heavy rain, things up quite a bit, as did Rasmus Ristolainen's hard shot on Alex a good backdrop for the Sabres' struggling offense, which is the major Volkov (which earned an interference penalty). reason the club is in a 1-4-1 slide since its 8-1-1 start. "It's great," Ristolainen said of the increased physical play. "It's a tough What's happened? Lots of things, and it would be wise for the Sabres to loss but it's a good thing we can play again tomorrow and make it better." try to reverse some of these patterns as soon as today's game. Milestone marker: Casey Mittelstadt will play in his 100th NHL game Chasing the games: Sam Reinhart said, "you're searching for something tonight. His first NHL goal came in a game at Tampa on April 6, 2018. there" when I asked him about the Sabres' sluggish starts of late after Mittelstadt has three goals this season but is like most of the Buffalo Friday's 3-2 loss, but there's no deep digging required here. The Sabres forwards, with none over the last seven games. are suddenly chasing games night after night and don't have enough firepower to turn things around.

The Sabres have been outscored, 7-0, in the first period of the last three Buffalo News LOADED: 11.10.2019 games and 13-2 in the opening 20 minutes of the last seven.

No need to look deep. The numbers are staring right at you. That's a trend. Coach Ralph Krueger cited major breakdowns as a reason when asked about it prior to today's game.

"We can definitely work on a better activation early on and possibly more patience. I think sometimes it's been a lack of patience that's created opportunity for the opposition. We need to be a little more patience as we enter the games and be more comfortable with 0-0 scores as we were earlier in the season."

"When the offense isn't going, that generates a little more pressure on you," Jeff Skinner said after Friday's loss. "When your offense is going, that doesn't seem as insurmountable. ... We have opportunities, we have to bear down. We have to find a way to get to the net and score some more goals."

The Wraparound from Sweden: Tampa Bay Lightning 3, Buffalo Sabres 2

Trend Two: The Sabres have nine goals in the last six games, not more than two in any of them.

Trend Three: They're getting no goals from large swaths of their lineup as Reinhart, Skinner and Jack Eichel have combined for nine of the last 13 scores in that seven-game stretch. The only other forward to score is Vladimir Sobotka, who is now injured.

Trend Four: The Buffalo power play -- which made the season early by going 9 for 21 in the first six games -- is in a 3-for-23 slide and is 0 for 7 in the last three games.

Trend Five: The Sabres had just 22 shots on goal in the game, the fourth time in five starts they didn't get to 30.

"Our offense definitely needs to desperately want to shoot more and create more pucks to the net," said coach Ralph Krueger, who is harping with his team about creating more net-front pressure.

"We'd like to generate a little bit more down low, off O-zone cycles," said Skinner. "You have to find way to get to the second and third (shots) and get some ugly goals because those are the majority of goals scored in the league."

Line shuffles: Krueger said after Friday night's game that Sobotka will not play tonight after he was victimized by a late low-bridge from Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov during the first period.

Evan Rodrigues, the lone spare forward on the trip, will move into the lineup and it will be interesting to see how the Sabres put together their lines because Rodrigues is unlikely to slot into the second line with Jeff Skinner and Marcus Johnson

In the nets: Krueger was asked by Swedish media after Friday's game if he would consider using Linus Ullmark back-to-back and said the team is 1160698 Buffalo Sabres That’s going to continue to happen. The Sabres are far from flawless. There will be dips, slumps and disappointments.

The real disappointment will be if everything spirals out of control like last Sabres sit where they’re expected to be after losing 2nd Global Series year. When the Sabres return to action Thursday against Carolina, they game; now they have to be better have to buckle up for 11 games in 19 days.

While they might not be ready for the international spotlight, they need to By John Vogl be ready for that.

Nov 9, 2019 “Adversity strikes every team during the season,” Eichel said. “It’s about how you dig yourself out of it.”

So, was this all worth it? Flying across the Atlantic Ocean, suffering STOCKHOLM — First, the quote from Ralph Krueger. through a condensed schedule, losing twice … why bother?

“It’s definitely part of the maturity process of the group, just trying to feel But as Dahlin smiled, laughed and joked with his countrymen in the like we belong in games like this and challenges like with Tampa Bay, dressing room, it was clear his answer was yes: It was worth it. who have been a top team in the league for a long period of time,” the Sabres coach said. “They’re in a space that we’re trying to learn to get “It’s been a really great experience, especially to meet all my friends and into and stay in. It’s not a space you get given in the National Hockey family, spend a little time here in Sweden,” Dahlin said. “It gets me more League. It’s one that everybody’s fighting for, and we believe we deserve energy when I get back, too, so it’s been good.” a place in that eventually. Krueger agreed, with the coach sincerely thanking Stockholm for a “But we know there’s still a lot of work to do to get there.” memorable time.

That easily could have been said after Buffalo dropped both games of the “It was outstanding in every way except for our results,” Krueger said. Global Series. But Krueger said it Friday morning, before the 3-2 and 5-3 “The hospitality was felt by the team the whole time we were here. It was losses to the Lightning. Regardless of when he said it, it remains true. an experience that we’ll look back on with pleasure — once these games become lessons that make us stronger in the future.” The Sabres still have a lot of work to do to belong in games like this. Of all the experiences during Dahlin’s return to Sweden — seeing family, “It’s frustrating. That’s the bottom line,” captain Jack Eichel said Saturday a ceremonial faceoff, candy and cookie tasting, a national skills before leaving Ericsson Globe for the last time. “It was a great competition and playing tour guide — one had him trembling. He met one experience, you know? Very unique, once in a lifetime, whatever you of his idols, Nicklas Lidstrom. want to call it. But we just lost four points to a divisional opponent, so not too much of a success.” “I was shaking,” Dahlin said. “I felt like a child. Yeah, that was cool.”

No, it certainly was not: The longtime Detroit great visited the Sabres’ dressing room after the Friday morning skate. • The Sabres led for just 7:32 all weekend. They were tied for 17:45. They trailed for 74:43. “He’s the best of all time,” Dahlin said. “That’s the guy.”

“We have to play better,” defenseman Rasmus Dahlin said. “We have to For quite a few kids in the arena this week, the 19-year-old Dahlin is the go back and start off everything better.” guy. He’s not used to that.

• Buffalo’s power play went 0-for-4. Tampa Bay was 3-for-7. “To have 12-year-old guys here watching me, I don’t know, it feels weird,” Dahlin said. “But it’s awesome, of course. I’m proud of myself.” “Our power play let us down as did our PK this weekend,” Krueger said. Dahlin got to take part in Saturday’s ceremonial faceoff with Tampa’s • The back-to-back losses have run the Sabres’ skids to 0-4, 0-4-1 and 1- Victor Hedman and puck-dropper Niklas Kronwall. 5-1, dropping their overall record to 9-6-2. That’s a long way from 8-1-1. “I was a little bit scared because I’ve never done it before,” the “I don’t know however many games in a row we’ve lost right now, but it’s defenseman said. “In front of all the Swedish crowd was pretty cool. This a results-driven league,” Eichel said. “For yourself to feel satisfied, it week has been really good. It’s been as good as it can be.” seems like you need to win every night. This one stings for a little bit.” Kyle Okposo caught a Swedish journalist off guard when asked whether But as the Sabres packed for Sunday’s long flight home and settle into a there were any Swedish players he liked to watch. four-day break, this all makes sense, right? No one expected them to be better than Atlantic Division counterparts Tampa Bay, Toronto and “My favorite player of all time, Peter Forsberg, a big reason why I wear Boston. Seven weeks into the season, they’re not (although they’re No. 21,” said Okposo, who was asked why in wild-eyed surprise. “Just ahead of the Lightning in the standings). the way that he hit people offensively when he had the puck. So tenacious on the puck, so strong and in that clutch-and-grab era where “It’s so early in the year right now,” Eichel said. “We’re trying to build our you just couldn’t get the puck from him. When he decided to take over a identity as a group every night.” game, he just took over. That was so fun to watch.”

They showed flashes Saturday. They had a few extended cycles in the Okposo was fun to watch during Friday’s pregame warmup. Invoking the Bolts’ zone. They took 43 shots and attempted 74. Winter Classic spirit, he took to the ice in a Global Series toque. Like the rest of the Sabres, he was impressed by Stockholm. “There were stretches of the game where we were very close to what we want to be as a team and how we want to play,” Krueger said. “I walked around aimlessly for an hour and half the other day, didn’t have any agenda,” he said. “It was cool to just see everything, from the But, as Eichel said, it’s a results-driven league. And after 14 games different areas of the city to the different cool streets, rode the scooters a played, Jimmy Vesey has no goals and two points. Conor Sheary has no little bit, just kind of bopped around.” points in his past nine games. Marcus Johansson has no goals and three assists in eight games. The line of Johan Larsson, Kyle Okposo and The league is expected to return to Sweden in two years for another Zemgus Girgensons hasn’t scored in eight games. Global Series. Next season, the NHL is heading to Finland, the , Germany and Switzerland. Eichel would like to see the league Few believed the Sabres did enough offensively during the offseason to expand its reach even more. hang with the top clubs. That sure looked like the case this weekend. “The more the game grows, the more it’s popular over here — I think it’s “It’s not because of the lack of compete that we’re not having success,” always been popular in Sweden,” the captain said. “As a league, it’s Eichel said. “Guys are competing, guys are battling. It’s just little probably not the main place we need to focus on because we know execution here and there. We made a couple mistakes against a good hockey is always going to be here. They’re always going to produce team, and they made us pay.” players like Hedman and Dahlin, guys like that who make young Swedish kids very intrigued by the NHL. But I think it’s great.” “We do business where we can, where we’re welcome,” commissioner Gary Bettman said. “And we’re trying to grow the game worldwide.”

The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160699 Calgary Flames good job of playing with them and taking it to them a little bit in the third period.”

The Blues, perched atop the Western Conference standings, improved to Flames rally, hang with champs until overtime 12-3-3. Perron made a bit of history in the process, becoming the first marksman in league lore to score three overtime goals before his team’s 20th game of a season. Wes Gilbertson The Flames (10-7-3) are now idle until Wednesday, when they cap this four-game homestand with a date against the Dallas Stars (7:30 p.m., Sportsnet One/Sportsnet 960 The Fan). Saturday’s second-intermission entertainment included an on-ice magic show by local illusionist Derek Selinger. It looked like it hurt.

Turns out, the Calgary Flames were saving some trickery of their own. Fortunately, Sam Bennett didn’t sustain any sort of serious injury.

This would have been their most impressive third-period comeback yet During Thursday’s dance with the Devils, Bennett was hanging out near — after all, this script-flip came against the defending Stanley Cup the edge of the blue paint when Mark Giordano’s rocket from the point champion St. Louis Blues — except that they weren’t able to finish the plunked him right on the laces. job in a 3-2 overtime loss. “And then Gio comes to the bench and says ‘I got all of that one,’ Flames blue-liner TJ Brodie was busted for holding during the bonus ”Flames head coach Bill Peters relayed the following day. “Not exactly session and the out-of-towners didn’t let their man-advantage opportunity what I wanted to hear.” go to waste, with winger David Perron ripping a one-timer from the top of the circle to end it. This, however, is what everyone had hoped to see — despite missing one practice to rest his sore wheel, the sparkplug winger was in the “Obviously, playing the Cup champs, you want to win,” said Flames lineup against the Blues. Bennett laid the licks of the night, too, dropping defenceman Travis Hamonic, who had the Saddledome rocking when he Vince Dunn on the forecheck and drilling Mackenzie MacEachern in front notched the equalizer with 3:54 remaining in regulation. “They know how of the benches. to play, they know how to win, and we were slugging it out with them all game, I thought. So a lot of good things to take from it … But obviously a Just three days after being reassigned to the ’s little bad taste with the way it finished.” Stockton Heat, the 22-year-old defenceman notched a hat-trick and racked up five points in Saturday’s 7-6 loss to the Tucson Roadrunners. This was a taste, too, of the NHL’s latest recipe for success, a sample of the heavy, stifling style that was on the display during the Blues’ To put that stat-line in perspective, he had zero goals and one helper in championship quest last spring and has been key to their current seven- 14 appearances with the big club before being dispatched to the minors game win spree. to log major minutes and work on his penalty-killing.

This was a chance to make a statement, the ol’ measuring-stick moment. It wasn’t all good news — with four points on the power-play, Kylington still finished with a minus-3 rating and the Heat had their seven-game In erasing a two-goal deficit to salvage a point, the locals certainly didn’t point-streak snapped. provide much fodder for the naysayers. Brad Treliving’s top priority is building a winner at the Saddledome, but “We’re getting better here as we go,” said Flames coach Bill Peters, the Flames general manager snuck away from the arena earlier this much more pleased with this particular performance than he’d been after week to provide a pep-talk to the University of football Tuesday’s comeback thriller against the Arizona Coyotes. “There are lots squad. of good things. Lots of things that we can still work on and clean up and tighten up a bit, but it’s headed in the right direction. Must have been a good one.

“I thought we had our looks, too,” he added. “I think you can learn from a The Dinos captured a conference crown Saturday, defeating the game like this. I think there were times when we spent a little bit more University of in the Hardy Cup showdown. They time in the defensive zone than we wanted to and we weren’t clean will host the McMaster Marauders next weekend in a national semifinal, breaking out. You have to be able to break out on your first opportunity with the victor advancing to the . against good teams. And they wear you out. Once you turn it over and all of a sudden they get a line change and they’re fresh and you’re tired, they’ll wear you out. They did that at times, but I thought our guys hung in Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.10.2019 there.”

They sure did.

Ivan Barbashev and Conn Smythe Trophy-winning centre Ryan O’Reilly staked the Blues to a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes, but the Flames responded with another rally, another example of the never-count-‘em- out resilience that has been a calling card for the past several seasons and has already resulted in three victories this fall when trailing after two.

Fan-fave forward Matthew Tkachuk ignited the spark — and spoiled Jordan Binnington’s shutout bid — with nine minutes remaining in regulation, accepting a feed from linemate Andrew Mangiapane and managing to evade a stick-check in the slot before going low on the glove-side.

With about four minutes to go, Hamonic jumped into the forecheck during four-on-four action, created all sorts of havoc and eventually found himself alone out front with the puck on his blade, cashing in the tying tally on the backhand.

“I thought we did a pretty good job of getting that point,” Tkachuk said afterward. “When it gets into overtime, I honestly think it’s a flip of a coin. For us to get one point after going into the third period down two against probably the best team we’ve played this year …

“Just the way they’re able to grind you and wear you down, they’re going to play the right way, finish their hits. They’re a hard playoff team — they showed it last year, and they’re right in form this year. I thought we did a 1160700 Calgary Flames ‘Big Walt’ keeps close tabs on both of his boys. When the Blues are off, Thomas is often parked in front of the flat screen, too.

“Every year, he just gets frickin’ better and better,” Thomas said of Full house: Flames' Tkachuk shared home with Blues' Thomas during Matthew. “I think he’s faster this year — he’s moving a lot better. And spring run obviously, you look at the skill he has. He had that through-the-legs OT goal that was pretty sweet. And last game, I saw he was trying the lacrosse move. So he’s definitely a high-skilled guy, and it’s crazy to Wes Gilbertson watch him progress.

November 9, 2019 5:05 PM MST “And he has been a great guy for me to talk to. He obviously went through what I’m going through two years before me, so he kind of was

able to give me the first-hand on the way it works.” Of course, Robert Thomas has seen The Goal. Thomas has one first-hand experience that Matthew, at least for now, Who in the hockey world hasn’t? can only dream of. He nodded when asked if the Flames alternate captain seemed a bit peeved at Stanley Cup shindigs, saying he didn’t And because of his living arrangements, the St. Louis Blues’ sophomore want to be anywhere near the shiny silverware — “If it was in the house, speedster also witnessed this rare reaction from a proud pops after he was going to the garage. He’s the most competitive guy, so he was Calgary Flames standout Matthew Tkachuk booked a spot on the best- pretty pissed off.” of-season highlight shows with his between-the-legs buzzer-beater on Halloween night in Nashville. “I was very happy for him. But selfishly, you want to be in that position, right?” Tkachuk reasoned. “Being in St. Louis and talking with Robby … “I was actually watching that with Big Walt. We were going nuts,” said you see the grind they went through, the injuries he battled through, the Thomas, referring to his landlord Keith Tkachuk, who scored a pile of way the city kind of rallied around the team and to see how many people goals of his own at hockey’s highest level, raised two of the NHL’s rising just love hockey now and are such fans because of the run, it’s stars and now works in a scouting role for the Blues. “He gets so into it, something you want to be a part of here in Calgary in a great hockey you would kind of almost think he’s playing. He’s always yelling at the TV market. at Brady or Matthew, and then when they make a good play, he just gets silent. He doesn’t want to give them any credit. “Hopefully, we can do something like they did last year, but that’s still a ways away and all we can do now is try to gather some wins and get “Except for that OT winner. He was pretty pumped about that one. That ourselves another crack at it.” was the one time he kind of let loose a little bit. That was good — it was fun to watch.”

Thomas watches a lot of hockey with ‘Big Walt,’ whose nickname dates Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.10.2019 back to his days as a power forward for the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, and the Blues.

When Matthew’s good friend and former junior teammate — they celebrated a title together with the ’s London Knights in 2016 — cracked the roster in St. Louis last fall, Keith and Chantal Tkachuk offered up a spare bedroom.

This turned into an extended stay.

Long after both Tkachuk brothers had been eliminated and returned home for the summer, Thomas and the Blues were still marching toward the first Stanley Cup title in franchise history.

Not wanting to mess with a recipe for success, the 20-year-old winger — about a year-and-a-half younger than Matthew and a couple months older than Brady, a key building block for the Ottawa Senators — is back under that same roof this season.

“He gets better treatment than I have there at the house when I’m home,” Matthew quipped in the lead-up to Saturday’s showdown between the Flames and Blues at the Saddledome.

Thomas isn’t denying that.

“I’m overstaying my welcome a little bit, but you know the family … they’re unbelievable,” he said. “We keep saying if we win it again, then I have to come back for another year. So I definitely have the preferential treatment right now, and he’s looking to take it back.”

These buddies have nothing but good things to say about each other, and not just because they’re sometimes rubbing elbows at the dinner table.

Tkachuk praised Thomas as the Blues’ best player during a second- round ouster of the Dallas Stars last spring. With fellow right-winger Vladimir Tarasenko out long-term after reconstructive shoulder surgery, his pal is currently skating in a spotlight role.

“I think now he’s established himself as a guy who can be a legit, skill top-end player in the NHL,” Tkachuk said of Thomas, who scored the game-winning goal Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers. “I think when he gets more and more chances, you’re going to see more and more production from him.”

Now in his fourth campaign in Flaming C, Tkachuk has been the most clutch shooter for his club so far this season. The fiery fan favourite recently topped Dan Quinn’s franchise record for points (191) before the age of 22 and still has another month to add to his total. 1160701 Calgary Flames

GameDay: Blues at Flames

Wes Gilbertson

November 9, 2019 8:00 AM MST

THE BIG MATCHUP

Flames LW Matthew Tkachuk vs. Blues RW Robert Thomas

For several weeks last spring, these guys were competing for first dibs on dinner. Thomas lived during his rookie season with the Blues under the roof of Keith and Chantal Tkachuk and the house was a wee bit more crowded come mid-May, after the Flames were eliminated and Matthew moved home for the summer. (It must have worked out, because Thomas is back with his billets for a second campaign.) Good friends and former teammates with the Ontario Hockey League’s London Knights, these guys could be seeing a lot of each other in Saturday’s showdown. Thomas, 20, has been skating in a top-line role and notched the game- winner Wednesday in Edmonton, while the 21-year-old Tkachuk continues to mix shutdown duties and overtime dramatics. Earlier this week, he erased Dan Quinn’s franchise record for most points before your 22ndbirthday (191).

FIVE STORYLINES FOR THE GAME

THAT’S MORE LIKE IT

“I liked everybody, to be honest.” That’s high praise from a coach, and that’s precisely what Flames skipper Bill Peters told reporters after Thursday’s 5-2 triumph over the New Jersey Devils. The Saddledome- dwellers have been consistently inconsistent so far this season, but they’ve now won four of their past five — including a pair of third-period comebacks — and the consensus in the locker-room was that they delivered their most complete performance of the season against the Devils.

BRING ON THE CHAMPS

There have been no hints of a championship hangover for the Blues, who hung their first Stanley Cup banner in June. Conn Smythe Trophy- winning centre Ryan O’Reilly, captain Alex Pietrangelo, sophomore puck- stopper Jordan Binnington & Co. are sitting atop the Western Conference standings with an 11-3-3 record and arrive in Calgary on a six-game win streak, their latest victory coming Wednesday in Edmonton.

MISSING MEN

The Blues currently have a couple of big-name forwards on injured reserve. One of the NHL’s most dangerous marksmen, Vladimir Tarasenko will miss most of the season after having reconstructive surgery on his shoulder. There was more bad news earlier this week, with Alex Steen — poised to hit the 1,000-game plateau this winter — suffering a high-ankle sprain that will keep him out of the lineup for four weeks.

DOUBLE DIGITS?

Flames’ first-liner Elias Lindholm is currently riding a nine-game point- streak, with five goals and six assists during that superb span. If the 24- year-old hits the scoresheet again Saturday, he would equal the longest heater of his career. He’s twice cobbled together 10-game tears. So far this season, only three NHL stars have stretched personal point-streaks into double digits — David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Nathan MacKinnon.

THIS N’ THAT

Flames forward Sam Bennett, tagged in the laces by Mark Giordano’s slapshot against the Devils, was a no-go for Friday’s practice, but coach Bill Peters is hopeful he’ll be available … The Blues won two of three meetings last winter, including the only head-to-head hook-up at the Saddledome … Blues newbie Jacob de la Rose, acquired Wednesday in a trade from the Detroit Red Wings, will debut for his new squad.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160702 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks fall 3-2 in a shootout after blowing a 2-goal lead for their 1st loss to the Penguins since 2014

By JIMMY GREENFIELD

CHICAGO TRIBUNE

NOV 09, 2019 | 8:59 PM

PITTSBURGH

One streak ended, another failed to launch and the Blackhawks’ season of frustration carried on.

The Hawks lost to the Penguins for the first time since 2014 and failed to win their second straight, dropping a painful 3-2 decision Saturday at PPG Paints Arena to fall to 5-7-4. The Hawks, who wasted a two-goal lead, had beaten the Penguins 10 straight times, including five consecutive on the road.

Jake Guentzel and Jared McCann scored in the shootout to give the Penguins their come-from-behind win. Bryan Rust tied the game at 2 with 9 minutes, 3 seconds remaining in the third period to send the game into overtime.

Dominik Kubalik and Patrick Kane scored in the second period after the Hawks failed to convert on a 5-on-3 power play for 1:34. Shortly after the second penalty ended, Kubalik scored his fourth of the season to finish a perfectly executed 3-on-1 with Brandon Saad and Slater Koekkoek, who each had an assist.

Less than two minutes later, Kane increased his points streak to five games when he blew a wrist shot past goalie Matt Murray to make it 2-0. Saad didn’t receive an assist, but he drove the lane and helped create space, allowing Kane to score his sixth of the season.

Corey Crawford had his second strong start in row, stopping 29 shots and getting a bit ornery while doing it. Early in the first period, Alex Galchenyuk struck him in the head with his skate, and Crawford immediately went after him. Neither player received a penalty.

Each team hit a post in a fairly even first period. Saad's shot on a breakaway beat goalie Matt Murray but struck the left post. The Penguins hit two posts but both came on the same shot when Dominik Simon's try from near the bottom of the left faceoff circle hit the crossbar then the far post.

The Hawks nearly escaped the second with their two-goal lead but driving the left side Evgeni Malkin centered a pass to , who narrowly beat Crawford to pull the Penguins within 2-1.

The Hawks host the Maple Leafs Sunday night at the United Center.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160703 Chicago Blackhawks At 27, the days of searching the stands for family and friends are long gone for Saad. He now has a much more businesslike approach when he returns for games his hometown.

Playing in his native Pittsburgh never gets old for Blackhawks forward “The chaos has kind of died down,” Saad said. “It used to be there’s tons Brandon Saad: ‘It’s nice to come home’ of tickets (to get) and tons of people coming. And now it’s died down a little with being here seven or eight years in the league, but it’s good.

"It’s always nice to come home, see the family, get some home cooking. By JIMMY GREENFIELD Feels like home, so it’s nice.”

CHICAGO TRIBUNE |

NOV 09, 2019 | 4:41 PM Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019

PITTSBURGH

The 30 NHL cities the Blackhawks travel to during the season provide many benefits to players looking for ways to pass the time.

Los Angeles has sunshine and shopping. Washington has an endless number of historical landmarks. New York has Broadway shows and some of the best restaurants in the world.

But only Pittsburgh provides Brandon Saad with a home-cooked meal.

Whenver Saad comes to town to play the Penguins — the Hawks’ opponent Saturday night — he takes the opportunity to head to his parent’s house. After the Hawks arrived in Pittsburgh, he spent Friday night with his family and joined aunts, uncles and cousins for some of his favorite dishes.

“Not all of them come to the game, but it’s even nicer the day before seeing everyone, getting to chat,” Saad said. “Because the game is the game, you see them five to 10 minutes afterward, and then you’re back on the plane. It’s definitely nice to get that day before and see everyone and talk and have a good meal.”

By the time Saad played his first game in Pittsburgh, he already had a Stanley Cup ring and nearly two seasons under his belt. The 2012-2013 lockout cost the Hawks their only game in Pittsburgh when he was a rookie, and the next season the Hawks didn’t play at PPG Paints Arena — then called Consol Energy Center — until March 30.

Saturday’s game against the Penguins was just his ninth in Pittsburgh among his 545 career games, including his fifth in sixth seasons with the Hawks. Playing in his hometown is special for Saad, and he realizes not every player gets a chance to do so.

Robin Lehner isn’t likely to play any games in Gothenburg, Sweden, and the Hawks don’t have any games scheduled in Olli Maatta’s hometown of Jyvskyla, Finland, or where Ryan Carpenter grew up in Orlando, Fla.

“To be able to come back, it’s always fun playing hockey in front of the home crowd,” Saad said. “You have that connection. It’s pretty neat. You see (Dominik Kubalik and David Kampf) get to do it in Prague, but a lot of guys don’t get to do it. So to have a team in your city — and usually a good team — it’s nice to compete with them and try to win and at the same time you’re in your hometown.”

"I always feel like I got a little more jump coming here. It's nice and that excitement gets going. It's nice to come home."

Does playing in your hometown translate into success? For some, yes. For others, not so much.

Patrick Kane has 13 points in eight career games in his native Buffalo, N.Y. — and at least one point in every game — while Corey Crawford has been even better when going home. The goalie has a .971 saves percentage in eight games in Montreal against the Canadiens and has won his last five starts there, including two shutouts.

While Winnipeg, Manitoba, native Jonathan Toews has 12 points in 15 games before friends and family, he is scoreless in his last six games there, having last scored a goal in Winnipeg on March 29, 2015.

As for Saad, his numbers in Pittsburgh are on par with his career stats. He had five points in his first eight games in his hometown, a rate of .625 points per game. That’s a touch ahead of his career points rate of .589.

If Saad continues at his current career scoring rate, he'll become the all- time leading scorer among Pittsburgh natives by the end of next season. With 321 points, he trails Ryan Malone (370) and R.J. Umberger, who finished with 392 points over an 11-year career. 1160704 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks show improvement but blow lead, lose to Penguins in shootout

By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST

Nov 9, 2019, 9:43pm CST

PITTSBURGH — The Blackhawks took significant strides forward in their defensive zone coverage against the Penguins on Saturday.

But two crucial breakdowns and the skills competition coin flip went against them in a 3-2 shootout loss.

Still, for the first time yet this season, the Hawks have built enough of a competitive streak — with points in four of their last five games now — that the postgame locker-room mood remained positive.

“Tide’s starting to turn a little bit for us,” Calvin de Haan said. “Everyone’s getting accustomed with how people play and their tendencies and stuff. But we’ve been playing some good hockey for most of the course of the season, and we’re starting to get rewarded a little bit, which is good for us. I think that’s a big point on the road for us.”

The Hawks took a 2-0 lead in the second period thanks to quick consecutive goals from Dominik Kubalik — the latest in a line of players to break out in their first game after being healthy-scratched — and Patrick Kane, flying high with eight points in his last five. It was their third 2-0 lead in the past four games.

They’ve been playing with fire with those 2-0 advantages, however. In Anaheim, they blew it but escaped in overtime. Against Vancouver, they gave up one goal and looked at risk of conceding a second.

On Saturday, the Pens took advantage of two poor shifts by the Slater Koekkoek-Olli Maatta pairing to tie the game, then found shootout goals from Jake Guentzel and Jared McCann to claim the two points.

“It’s good we’re getting points. We need some two-pointers,” coach said. “To really move it forward, the team needs to be rewarded for those efforts.”

“We went through a stretch like that earlier in the year, where we played well and didn’t get the win, and that wears on you. We want to finish a few of these games out.”

The loss snapped a 10-game win streak against the Penguins, and Corey Crawford — despite another objectively quality start — suffered only his second career loss against Pittsburgh.

Those are trivial stats, though. More encouraging is the fact the Hawks gave up only 26 shots on goal in regulation, their fewest allowed since the season opener in Prague.

That’s a product of improved defensive zone exits, improved adherence to structure and more sustained work ethic, all things that Colliton harped on critically in past weeks. On that front, the Hawks showed substantial progress.

“There’s not many grade-A’s we’re giving up,” de Haan said. “There are 100-point players on their team, they’re going to make plays, but I think we’ve done a really good job at keeping stuff to the perimeter for the most part.”

There’s a pervasive sense nonetheless that this is not the top of the Hawks’ curve.

“We’ve got to keep building on this,” Kane said. “I still think there’s another level for us to get to, and it’ll be a lot of fun when we get there.”

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This You Gotta See: Bears-Lions, Bulls-Knicks, Blackhawks-Predators and MLB’s MVPs

By Steve Greenberg@SLGreenberg

Nov 9, 2019, 8:00am CST

Chicago Bears v Detroit Lions

SUN 10

Lions at Bears (noon, Ch. 2): What’s everybody so bent out of shape about? The Bears swept Detroit last season; they’ll be fine. Probably. Maybe? OK, this one’s kind of scary. But aren’t they all?

Illinois at Arizona (8 p.m., Pac 12 Network): College basketball is here, people. Learn it. Live it. Try to at least tolerate it before March starts rolling around. No kidding, the Illini, led by rangy guard Ayo Dosunmu (Morgan Park) and high-energy big fella Giorgi Bezhanishvili, have a chance to be pretty darn good.

Vikings at Cowboys (8:20 p.m., Ch. 5): This one’s big in terms of playoff positioning in the NFC. Why must that voice in our head keep telling us to “insert Bears crack here”?

MON 11

Seahawks at 49ers (7:15 p.m., ESPN): The visitors have one huge thing going for them, and it’s that they’re absolutely terrible guests. Four times this season, the Seahawks have popped into an opposing team’s stadium. Four times, they’ve ransacked the joint and ran off with the “W.” Not that the 8-0 Niners are all that worried.

TUE 12

Knicks at Bulls (7 p.m., NBCSCH): The first time these teams met this season, the Bulls led by eight in the closing minutes when they made the regrettable tactical decision to stop playing basketball. Bobby Portis and the Knicks laughed their way through a 15-0 game-ending run. Can we get a little payback?

WED 13

Clippers at Rockets (6:30 p.m., ESPN): Assuming L.A.’s Kawhi Leonard isn’t too busy resting, it’ll be fun to watch him go against Houston’s James Harden and Russell Westbrook, who, as far as we know, haven’t killed each other yet. Game 2 of a doubleheader pits the Lakers against whatever is left of the Warriors.

Northern Illinois at Toledo (7 p.m., ESPNU): Football on a Wednesday? God bless America. The Huskies are having a down season and probably will be beaten soundly by the division-rival Rockets, but did we mention a football game is on?

THU 14

MLB Awards: MVP (5 p.m., MLB Network): Mike Trout or Alex Bregman in the AL? Cody Bellinger or Christian Yelich in the NL? Why are we pretending not to know at least one, and probably both, of those answers already?

SAT 16

Blackhawks at Predators (7 p.m., NBCSCH+): The Hawks are still easing into the season, searching for their groove, just waiting to turn things around. Translation: The dreaded Preds are pretty much doubling them up in points.

Iowa at Wolves (7 p.m., My 50): And then there’s the Chicago hockey team that isn’t bumbling around at the bottom of the standings. Way to make the middle of the AHL pack look good, boys.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160706 Chicago Blackhawks and uncle, we all yell, ‘Oh, hi, Slater!’ when we see him across the screen.’’

They’ve gotten that experience plenty of times, no doubt — Slater is up For Blackhawks’ Slater Koekkoek, sister Madison provides support to 114 NHL appearances and counting — but it’s frustrating nonetheless system through up-and-down career for them not to see his name every night.

Now in his sixth NHL season but scratched in seven of 15 games so far, Despite Slater’s somewhat infrequent playing time, he has performed Koekkoek has been able to rely on his family’s closeness through it all. consistently well as a bottom-pair defenseman for coach Jeremy Colliton, ranking fourth on the Hawks last season in Corsi rating (shot-attempt ratio) and second this season. So it’s somewhat surprising he hasn’t been given a steadier role. By Ben Pope@BenPopeCST Slater appeared in line for more playing time when Connor Murphy was Nov 9, 2019, 6:55am CST put on injured reserve, but Adam Boqvist’s call-up quickly relegated him back to the No. 7 spot on the depth chart.

Defenseman Slater Koekkoek has been scratched in eight of the Hawks’ ‘‘When he’s got the chance to play, he’s been solid for us, and that’s kind first 15 games this season, but he has played well when given the of where he slots in right now in the lineup,’’ Colliton said Friday. ‘‘I don’t chance. think we have any complaints with him. He’s a great teammate, and he’s done his job when he’s got his chance.’’ Every day, be it after practice, before a game or somewhere else in the midst of the NHL’s hectic daily schedule, Blackhawks defenseman Slater The Koekkoeks haven’t lost hope that they one day will fulfill a dream of Koekkoek calls Calgary. sister interviewing brother before a game.

There, his 14-month-older sister, Madison, is awaiting the ring. ‘‘I don’t know who would get the last word in,’’ Slater said, chuckling. ‘‘She’s got the gift of the gab, as they say, so I don’t know if she’d ‘‘They say whenever you have a twin, you’re never alone,’’ Koekkoek actually let me answer the questions or if she’d answer them for me.” said. ‘‘Even though my sister [and I] aren’t specifically twins, I think we’re close enough where we’ve always had that person to talk to.’’ “It’d be a special moment.’’

The Koekkoek family is invested deeply in hockey. Madison works as the social-media coordinator for Hockey Canada and is pursuing a career in Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 sports media. Slater, 25, is in the early stages of his sixth NHL season and his second with the Hawks.

When Slater — the 10th overall pick in the 2012 draft — was called up to the Lightning in 2015, more than 200 family members were in attendance for his second game, when the Lightning visited the Senators.

But the road since hasn’t been as smooth. Slater struggled to live up to his draft billing with the Lightning, then was unloaded for defenseman Jan Rutta in a midseason trade last winter. He has found a slightly more favorable role with the Hawks, but he still has been a healthy scratch in eight of their first 15 games this season.

Through all the highs and lows, however, he always has had Madison to turn to.

‘‘Anyone will tell you the poise that he’s carried through that process and the ability to maintain confidence is something that’s truly remarkable,’’ Madison said. ‘‘Slater walks into the rink and treats everybody with the utmost care or respect, be it in the locker room or be it somebody who works in the facility or drives the bus.

‘‘That speaks to his character more than anything, and I think that’s what I draw from him.’’

Madison was a master’s student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, through the early years of Slater’s professional career. Back then, her advice came strictly from her heart, with little specific familiarity about the NHL’s inner workings to draw from.

Now, however, the dynamic is different.

‘‘I used to like it because, when I’d talk to her, she had nothing to do with hockey,’’ Slater said. ‘‘She’d just give me a personal perspective or just help me through it in different ways than a hockey person would help me through it. Now she understands the business, and it’s a different kind of talk now. She sees things both on the ice and off and tries to let me know. It’s evolved that way.’’

Madison travels several times a season to see Slater play in person. Last season, it was to Edmonton in February and to San Jose in March, when brother and sister spent a Hawks day off as tourists in San Francisco. This season, it’ll be to Chicago a few weeks from now.

Usually, though, the Koekkoeks are connected throughout the winter via their televisions. Despite the geographic distance between Slater in Chicago, Madison in Calgary and their parents’ and extended family’s homes in Winchester, Ontario — about 30 miles south of Ottawa — their NHL Center Ice package keeps everyone united.

‘‘It never gets old when you see our last name go across the TV,’’ Madison said. ‘‘It’s a pretty cool feeling. I know my grandparents, my aunt 1160707 Chicago Blackhawks

Chicago takes on Toronto in non-conference showdown

Staff Report

By Associated Press

Posted

11/10/2019 7:00 AM

Toronto Maple Leafs (9-5-4, second in the Atlantic Division) vs. Chicago Blackhawks (5-7-4, sixth in the Central Division)

Chicago; Sunday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Toronto travels to Chicago for a non-conference matchup.

The Blackhawks are 4-3-2 at home. Chicago has converted on 14% of power-play opportunities, scoring seven power-play goals.

The Maple Leafs are 3-3-0 in road games. Toronto has scored 10 power- play goals, converting on 16.4% of chances.

The matchup Sunday is the first meeting this season between the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Patrick Kane leads the Blackhawks with 17 points, scoring six goals and adding 11 assists. Dylan Strome has totaled 7 points over the last 10 games for Chicago.

Mitchell Marner leads the Maple Leafs with 14 total assists and has recorded 18 points. Auston Matthews has recorded 13 points over the last 10 games for Toronto.

LAST 10 GAMES: Maple Leafs: 5-2-3, averaging 2.8 goals, 4.6 assists, 4.2 penalties and 8.4 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game with a .919 save percentage.

Blackhawks: 3-4-3, averaging 2.2 goals, 3.9 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.2 penalty minutes while giving up 2.6 goals per game with a .929 save percentage.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160708 Chicago Blackhawks Rust tied it when he finished off an extended Penguins' push by camping below the left dot and delivering when a pass from John Marino found his stick.

Penguins rally, edge Blackhawks 3-2 in shootout "The biggest thing for me that Rusty has shown since Day 1 of training camp is a sense of urgency," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "When he plays that way, he's at his best. I think he's done that consistently day in and day out." By WILL GRAVES

Associated Press Daily Herald Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 Updated

11/9/2019 10:52 PM

PITTSBURGH -- The Penguins keep losing high-profile players and keep winning games. It's not ideal, but they'll take it - for now at least.

Jake Guentzel and Jared McCann scored in a shootout and the Penguins ended a 10-game losing streak against the Chicago Blackhawks by rallying for a 3-2 victory Saturday night despite captain Sidney Crosby leaving in the third period with a lower-body injury.

The Penguins were already playing without Kris Letang and Patric Hornqvist when Crosby gingerly made his way off the ice early in the third and did not return. Pittsburgh still improved to 4-1-1 in its last six despite spotting Chicago a two-goal lead.

Guentzel's eighth of the season late in the second period gave the Penguins life and Bryan Rust's fifth in six games since his return from injured reserve tied it midway through the third period. Guentzel and McCann both beat Corey Crawford in the shootout, and when Matt Murray turned away Alex DeBrincat, the Penguins had their first victory over Chicago since March 30, 2014.

"Shows a lot of character in this room, but we're not making it easy on ourselves," Rust said. "We do seem to have a pretty good leadership group in here and we do kind of know when to push a little bit harder."

Patrick Kane collected his sixth goal of the season for Chicago and used some nifty stickhandling to slip the puck by Murray in the shootout. Dominik Kubalik added his fourth for Chicago. Crawford made 29 saves but couldn't stop Guentzel's flip between the goaltender's legs or McCann's wrist shot in the shootout.

"Would've been nice to come away with that game, but they're a good team," Kane said. "They've been playing well all year. They had a big comeback against the Islanders the other night. Obviously, nice to get a point. Hopefully keep building on what we have going on here, but it would've been nice to have two."

Two days after storming back from three goals down in the third period to stun the Islanders in overtime, the Penguins followed a similar script to top the Blackhawks for the first time in more than five years.

Chicago squandered a chance to take the lead early in the second period when it failed to convert on an extended 5-on-3 power play. Kane had an excellent opportunity for the right circle but his one-timer missed everything, sailing over the goal, over the boards and into the netting.

Crawford turned aside Pittsburgh's surge after the teams returned to full strength, and Kubalik gave the Blackhawks the lead 7:09 into the second when Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin whiffed while trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone. The mistake led to a three-on-one the other way, with Kubalik taking a feed from Brandon Saad and slamming it past Murray for his fourth of the season.

Kane doubled Chicago's advantage just 98 seconds later, pouncing on the puck after teammate Calvin De Haan blocked a shot then racing the other way before beating Murray with a wrist shot at 9:47 to extend his scoring streak to a season-high five games.

Just as they did against the Islanders, Pittsburgh scrambled back. Guentzel drew the Penguins within 2-1 with 3:56 left in the second, though Malkin did much of the dirty work, swiping the puck near center ice, zipping down the left side and beating Slater Koekkoek to the post. Malkin then slipped a pass between Koekkoek and Crawford to a wide- open Guentzel racing down the slot. Guentzel easily put the puck into the open net for his eighth of the season. 1160709 Chicago Blackhawks

Four takeaways: Blackhawks' winning streak vs. Penguins ends at 10 games

By Charlie Roumeliotis

November 09, 2019 9:00 PM

Here are four takeaways from the Blackhawks' 3-2 shootout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena on Saturday:

1. Blackhawks suffer first loss to Penguins in five years

The Blackhawks desperately needed a victory on Thursday against the Vancouver Canucks after a rough four-game road trip and they got it. But after the game, the Blackhawks acknowledged the fact that they need to start stringing together some wins after a pair of three- and four-game losing streaks to open the season.

They picked up a point for the fourth time in five games, but the Penguins got the second one in a shootout for their first victory against Chicago since March 30, 2014. The Penguins were 0-7-3 and had been outscored 43-16 for a goal differential of -27 over their previous 10 games against the Blackhawks.

2. Corey Crawford turns in another strong outing

Coming off a 36-save victory over the Canucks, the Blackhawks went back to Crawford between the pipes and gave him a second straight start for the first time since the opening two games of the season. And for good reason.

Going into Saturday's matchup, Crawford was 9-1-0 with a 1.66 goals- against average and .949 save percentage in 10 career starts against the Penguins. He stopped 29 of 31 shots for a save percentage of .936 on Saturday and turned aside all five shots in overtime. But he gave up two goals during the three-round shootout and suffered his sixth loss (second in overtime/shootout) of the season.

Over his last three starts, Crawford has .929 save percentage. His 1-0-2 record in that stretch doesn't reflect it, but he's been great as of late.

3. Patrick Kane heating up

After recording only one point in the final five games of October, Kane has opened November with a five-game point streak. He followed up his three-point effort on Thursday by scoring his third goal in his fourth game, snapping a shot past Penguins goaltender Matt Murray in the second period to put the Blackhawks up 2-0.

Kane is back to averaging above a point-per-game that we're used to seeing out of him, but he still hasn't reached his top level yet this season. He acknowledged at the beginning of the campaign that it sometimes takes him a while to get going, and perhaps we're seeing him kick into gear. The Blackhawks need him to.

4. Adam Boqvist and Kirby Dach take a breather

The Blackhawks held out top prospects Boqvist and Dach against the Penguins, but not for performance-based reasons. Head coach Jeremy Colliton said it was part of the plan going into the weekend.

With it being the first of a back-to-back, the team felt that it was a good opportunity for the two teenagers to take a breather, both mentally and physically, as they try to get accustomed to the grind of an 82-game regular season schedule.

Dach logged 9:02 of ice time in Thursday’s 5-2 win and has only one shot on goal in his past four games. Boqvist had three shots on goal and a -1 rating in a season-low 12:18 of ice time against the Canucks. Expect both of them to be back in the lineup on Sunday vs. Toronto.

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Olli Maatta on returning to Pittsburgh and parallels between Blackhawks and Penguins leadership group

By Charlie Roumeliotis

November 09, 2019 10:00 AM

Olli Maatta has had Nov. 9 circled on the calendar for a while now. It's the first time he'll be back in Pittsburgh since being traded to the Blackhawks in June for forward Dominik Kahun.

"Obviously I have a bunch of good memories there," Maatta said. "Really exciting times. I knew when we were going there."

Maatta was drafted by the Penguins in the first round (No. 22 overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft and won two Stanley Cups during his six-year tenure in Pittsburgh. He played a large role in the second of the back-to-back in 2017 particularly, averaging 20:37 of ice time in the postseason because the Penguins were without top defenseman Kris Letang for the entire playoffs.

The road to the Stanley Cup is always memorable when going through those ups and downs, but who you share them with is what you really remember.

"It's really exciting," Maatta said. "I think that's the one [thing], it's going to be nice to see the people there, all friends there."

The Blackhawks acquired Maatta to help shore up their defensive issues following a season in which they gave up the second-most goals and ranked 31st on the penalty kill. Only Duncan Keith (85) has more defensive zone faceoff starts at even strength than Maatta (77), who has also logged 32:01 of ice time on the penalty kill, good for fifth-highest on the team.

Maatta has brought some stability and experience on the back end defensively, even though his overall possession numbers haven’t been great.

"Yeah it'll be big for him going back, no question — a lot of history there and a lot of success," head coach Jeremy Colliton said. "I'm sure he'll be good, he'll have some energy and be excited about it. He's been solid, he's been dependable. Like our whole team, there's been ups and downs at times, but I just really like [that] he knows what he is — he's here to defend and kill penalties and be solid and that's improved our D core."

When Maatta was traded to the Blackhawks, he saw many parallels between the Penguins leadership group of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Letang and the Blackhawks’ of Patrick Kane, Duncan Keith, Brent Seabrook and Jonathan Toews.

All of them have three Stanley Cups, but nobody is satisfied. The hunger to win another one is at an all-time high and Maatta wants to taste that kind of success in Chicago now.

"There's a lot of similarities when I came here, when you see the guys that have been around here," Maatta said. "Just the work in they put in every day and what kind of pros they are at first. But then they want to win. It just seems nothing's enough if you don't win, you always have to try and find a way and that's what it's been and I could see the same thing here."

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How to watch Blackhawks vs. Maple Leafs: Time, TV schedule and streaming info

Staff Report

By NBC Sports Chicago

November 08, 2019 1:00 AM

After a quick stop trip to Pittsburgh, the Blackhawks return home to play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Sunday night.

It'll be a tough test for Jeremy Colliton's squad but it also presents an opportunity for a statement win against a team condending in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division.

Can the Blackhawks make it two wins in a row at home? Hopefully fans hear Chelsea Dagger.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160712 Chicago Blackhawks .914 through 39 games, before posting a .893 over his last 14 games as his well-documented mental-health issues nearly consumed him.

Before Buffalo, the Ottawa Senators weren’t exactly neutral-zone ‘This is what I’m used to’: Robin Lehner isn’t sugarcoating things, but trapping in front of him, either. Over parts of five seasons in Ottawa, he’s not complaining, either Lehner posted a .914 save percentage, including a .936 in 2013 behind a bottom-10 defense.

In other words, Lehner isn’t angry at his Blackhawks teammates for all By Mark Lazerus the shots he’s facing every night. And he’s not throwing anybody under the bus when he — gasp! — says the team needs to tighten things up Nov 9, 2019 defensively. It’s an objective fact, is all. After all, have you seen this Blackhawks defense?

Here are some facts about the Buffalo Sabres. You choose the adjective Lehner simply doesn’t sugarcoat these things. It’s not in his nature. And to describe them. for the record, he’s very quickly become highly regarded by his teammates, and not only for his on-ice play. He’s become a compelling In 2015-16, they finished 14th in the Eastern Conference. Among 30 NHL voice in a room loaded with them. teams, they were fourth-worst in xGF percentage, fifth-worst in goals scored and ninth-worst in shots allowed. “That’s the whole point I tried to make last week that didn’t come out right,” he said. “Last year is not what I’m used to. This is what I’m used In 2016-17, they finished 15th in the East. Among 30 NHL teams, they to. That’s what I was trying to say. People read into that however they were fourth-worst in xGF percentage, seventh-worst in goals scored and want. But it’s not that this is bad. I’m just saying that this type of game is dead last in shots allowed. what I’m used to. I played one year in that structure on Long Island. It was nice! And a lot of people talk about how there’s certain goalies who In 2017-18, they finished dead last in the East. Among 30 NHL teams, are really good when they get a lot of shots and they struggle when they they were dead last in xGF percentage, dead last in goals scored and don’t have a lot of shots. One good thing about it is I got to show that I 10th-worst in shots allowed. didn’t struggle either way. But it wasn’t like we had 20 shots a game last “The fact of the matter is, we sucked for three years,” Robin Lehner said. year, either. My average was around 30 last year (the Islanders were “And I said ‘we.’ We. We as a team. I’m part of that. We weren’t good. 16th in the league at 31.1 shots against per game). That’s the whole And that showed in the standings. We were a bunch of guys who tried point. Last year was the anomaly for me with the type of system I played our best in a bad situation, but we weren’t very good.” in. I’ve played in more of a run-and-gun system for most of my career.

This, of course, goes against the hockey code. You don’t speak ill of “When I signed here, it was like, ‘Oh, he’s going from the best defensive other teams, past or present. You don’t disparage teammates, past or team to one that struggles defensively, it’s going to be such a change.’ present. You find positives. And in the absence of positives, you find I’m like, it’s my ninth or 10th year in the league. You forget where I was platitudes. the other years.”

Lehner just doesn’t operate that way. He finds truths, and he speaks Indeed, Lehner’s goaltending partner, Corey Crawford, frequently talks truths. So when he spoke the truth after a 3-2 victory in Anaheim last about how it can be tough to stay in a rhythm when you face only a Sunday, one in which he had to make 36 saves, many of them difficult, handful of shots in a period. That’s not to say Lehner wants to face 50 much of the hockey world clutched its pearls. shots a game. But perimeter shots are fine, the occasional Grade-A chance is inevitable, and breakaways happen. “People talk a lot about last year, but I played for arguably the worst defensive team in the league for three years in Buffalo, so it’s nothing It’s the endless barrage of odd-man rushes that has been dooming new,” he said after that game. “And I put up good numbers there, no Lehner and Crawford most nights. matter what anyone says.” “There’s obviously a happy medium,” Lehner said. “There are certain Lehner’s point was the latter half of that quote — that he can succeed in teams that get a lot of shots against, but they’re all from the outside a looser system, that his Vezina-caliber numbers last season on Long because they play five-on-the-dice in the defensive zone and collapse Island weren’t just the product of Barry Trotz’s defensive system. Of the slot. Shots from in-zone are handle-able. We have really good, course, all most people saw were tweets quoting the first half. And the fighting, hard-working defensemen and they help out a lot in front. But standard outrage cycle began. sometimes, if you can just play a little tighter and don’t let up so many rushes, it becomes a lot simpler. Both me and Corey are good enough to “Twitter sucks when it comes to that stuff,” he shrugged. “It’s what it is.” save the occasional Grade-A chance and shots from the outside. But the Lehner’s point wasn’t to crap all over the Sabres, a team and a franchise rushes kill you. The thing I like about our defense is we’re trying really he speaks very highly of, and a team and a fan base that in his eyes are hard, and we’re working towards that. It’s getting better and better. We’ve being rewarded for their years of suffering with a host of good young just got to be more consistent about it. … On Long Island last year, I players and a very bright future. “They’re gonna be a hell of a team; they barely saw a 2-on-1 or a breakaway ever up until about the All-Star already are,” he said. break. Then, after the All-Star break, we started cracking a bit and started being way more loose defensively. But again, whatever I say Lehner’s point was that he’s a pretty damn good goalie, regardless of comes out kind of bad. Because it’s not like I’m saying Chicago’s bad circumstances. defensively. But we’re not the best defensive team right now. We know about it. It’s not me trashing anyone. I’m a part of this team, I’m a part of “If you look at goalies around the league, it’s the big flashy saves that this defense. We know we can be better and we’re working to be better.” grab attention, and I’ve never been big and flashy,” he said. “I just feel like I haven’t gotten enough credit sometimes, because if you take my There is one mark against him that Lehner freely admits to. He’s lousy in tenure in Buffalo — and I know you can’t just pick and choose stuff, I’m shootouts. In his career, he’s lost 21 shootouts and won just eight, totally aware of that — but if you take my tenure in Buffalo and you take allowing 43 goals on 92 attempts, for a dismal .533 save percentage away the last one and a half months, where I spiraled away and I pretty (most goalies hover in the .700-.800 range). In his one shootout this much drank myself to death every day, I had great numbers. I played season, he allowed two goals on three Vegas attempts in a loss. If you’ve good on a struggling team. And again, the struggling team — I’m a part seen Lehner turn aside breakaway after breakaway during games this of it. I’m a part of that defense. That’s on me, too. But that third year, until season, that might surprise you. that last month, I had the best save percentage at home through January of anyone in the league. But I never won at home because we didn’t But the shootout is a skills competition, not, you know, hockey. score or we weren’t great defensively. We were struggling, all of us, as a “I’m good at hockey, I’m not good at shootouts,” he said. “I’ve been team.” terrible at shootouts, I can say that very openly. You don’t score on me The numbers back him up. In his first year in Buffalo, Lehner had a .924 much in breakaways. Never have. And in Buffalo you had two per game, save percentage in 21 games. The next year, he posted a .920 in 59 you know? Breakaways, it’s different. When they have speed and they games. And through early February the following season, Lehner had a don’t get to go slow-motion, I can do my thing. When they get to slow down, I have a hard time with it. I’ve been trying a bunch of different things and I can’t really figure it out. It’s what it is. And it becomes a talking point.”

Seems like everything he says does. That’s what happens when you speak the blunt truth in hockey. Maybe that’s why so few do.

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Avs sweep their two-game homestand after beating Blue Jackets

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

PUBLISHED: November 9, 2019 at 9:47 pm | UPDATED: November 9, 2019 at 10:09 PM

The Avalanche, missing three injured forwards to begin the game and a fourth late in the second period, used three goals from two 21-year-old defensemen to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2.

Rookie Cale Makar scored twice and fellow blue-liner Sam Girard once as the Avs swept their two-game homestand after entering it on a 0-4-1 stretch. Colorado, which started backup goalie Pavel Francouz for the second straight game and got a late insurance goal from forward Nazem Kadri, improved to 10-5-2.

“You got to do what you gotta do. You need guys to step up,” said Avs coach , who was again missing two-thirds of his top line. “I thought Cale Makar was really good. He steps up in a big way. We chip in enough goals.”

Makar and Girard combined for 10 of Colorado’s 36 shots, including seven from Makar — who is among the NHL’s top-scoring defensemen with 17 points (four goals) in 17 games.

Kadri forced a neutral-zone turnover and scored Colorado’s fourth goal on a big slap shot with 2:06 remaining, right before Columbus wanted to pull its goalie for an extra attacker.

“I think we were mentally strong,” said Francouz, who attempted a 175- foot shot at the empty net in the final minute. “We just had to stick to the game we were playing. It worked.”

Makar scored from the right wing at 10:52 and 16:11 of the second period — the only goals of the frame. He beat goalie Joonas Korpisalo with two very different wrist shots — the first a top-shelf beauty and the second a slow roller to give Colorado a 3-2 lead.

The Avs had a glorious chance to build on their lead but failed to convert on a five-minute power play after losing veteran center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare to a head injury at 17:15 of the second period.

Bellemare was elbowed in the head by Columbus captain Nick Foligno in the neutral zone, after Bellemare dumped the puck in the Jackets’ end. Foligno caught Bellemare’s face with his left elbow, and Bellemare also hit his head on the ice upon landing.

Colorado, however, failed to convert on the major penalty and clung to its one-goal lead late in the period.

“Another gutsy effort. There’s a good squad over there,” said Avs forward Matt Calvert, a former Blue Jacket. “We lose a guy like Belle; he’s a big part of the lineup. He might not bring the goals like the other (missing) guys do but he brings a ton of leadership. We wanted to get this one for him, after that hit.”

The teams traded first-period goals, with Columbus’ Emil Benstrom scoring on the power play at 4:55 and Girard tying it on the power play at 15:06. Girard’s big slap shot from the point served as his first goal of the season.

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Nikita Zadorov had surgery to repair broken jaw, out “week-to-week” for the Avalanche

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

PUBLISHED: November 9, 2019 at 12:06 pm | UPDATED: November 9, 2019 at 12:07 PM

The injury-plagued Avalanche will be without another key player on a “week-to-week” basis, coach Jared Bednar said Saturday morning, because defenseman Nikita Zadorov sustained a broken jaw Thursday and required surgery Friday.

“Everything went well, so we’ll just see how things go the next couple days and then we’ll try to get him back on the ice,” Bednar said of Zadorov, who will practice with the team in a non-contact sweater while his jaw heals.

Zadorov joins forwards Mikko Rantanen (left leg), Gabe Landeskog (lower-body), Colin Wilson (lower-body) and goalie Philipp Grubauer (lower-body) on the injured list. Bednar said those forwards have not been cleared to skate in their recovery but Grubauer is closer to a return and will join the team on the upcoming five-game road trip that begins in Winnipeg on Tuesday.

Rantanen and Landeskog are top-line forwards who normally serve as Nathan MacKinnon’s wingers. Each member of the line was selected for the 2019 NHL All-Star Game last January.

“They get evaluated daily. They’re ramping up some of their workouts, just trying to get closer to getting back on the ice,” Bednar said of Rantanen and Landeskog.

The Avs are coming off a 9-4 victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday, scoring more goals in one game than they did in the entire five-game losing streak they brought into the game.

“I said it when all those guys got hurt — I like our depth — and if we play the right way we can win hockey games with and without those guys. Last game I think we proved it. It started with our work ethic, which was really good, and structure and our commitment to our structure, especially on the offensive side of things,” Bednar said.

MacKinnon is nursing an upper-body injury and skipped Saturday’s morning skate at the Pepsi Center. But he is scheduled to play against the Blue Jackets.

“Give him a little rest before tonight,” Bednar said of MacKinnon.

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Chambers: Avalanche has been at its best against NHL’s best

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

PUBLISHED: November 9, 2019 at 10:00 am | UPDATED: November 9, 2019 at 11:58 am

Against the NHL’s best teams this season, the Avalanche has come up aces.

Before the season began last month, the teams most capable of winning the Stanley Cup were the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference, and the Nashville Predators and Vegas Golden Knights in the West. Throw in the defending conference regular-season champions (Tampa Bay and the Calgary Flames), plus the last two Cup champions, the Washington Capitals (2018) and St. Louis Blues (2019), and the benchmark is set.

Well, the Avs are 6-1 against that benchmark, outscoring those teams a combined 37-18.

To wit:

— Oct. 3 at home, the Avs lead throughout and defeated Calgary 5-3 on opening night. The Flames are currently in the playoff picture after a 4-4- 1 start.

— Oct. 10 at home, the Avs beat the Boston Bruins 4-2. Boston entered this weekend 11-2-2 with 24 points, second in the Eastern Conference.

— Oct. 14 at Washington, the Avs scored four goals in the first 10 minutes and went on to pound the Capitals 6-3. Washington entered the weekend with an Eastern Conference-high 27 points.

— Oct. 19 at Tampa Bay, the Avs dominated from start to finish and defeated the Lightning 6-2. The defending President’s Trophy winners tied an NHL record with 62 wins last season and are the near-unanimous pick to win the Stanley Cup next spring.

— Oct. 25 at Vegas, the Avs, in their first game without Mikko Rantanen, dominated the entire way and defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 6-1 on Nevada Day.

— Thursday at home, Colorado, despite playing without the injured Rantanen, Gabe Landeskog, Colin Wilson and Philipp Grubauer, scored six second-period goals and embarrassed the Nashville Predators 9-4 at the Pepsi Center. The Avs, coming off a 0-4-1 stretch, pinned the Preds with their most goals-against in franchise history.

So, notwithstanding a 3-1 loss at St Louis on Oct. 21 when the Avs were concluding a difficult five-game road trip and running on fumes, Colorado has already proven it can not only defeat, but also destroy, the best the league has to offer.

Every game is important, and every team in the league can beat you, but Colorado’s next big test is Thursday at Edmonton. The Oilers got off to a 6-1 start behind superstar Connor McDavid.

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Makar scores two goals in come from behind Avalanche victory

By Aarif Deen

November 9, 2019

The story was all too familiar for the Avalanche tonight. They faced adversity, overcame it, won at home, and lost another player to injury.

Colorado trailed on two separates occasions but came back to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2 on Saturday at the Pepsi Center. Center Pierre-Edouard Bellemare left the game with an injury after taking a hit to the head from Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno.

The Avs trailed 1-0 in the first period but got a power-play goal from Sam Girard to the game. After the Blue Jackets scored again to take a 2-1 lead into the second period, Colorado goaltender Pavel Francouz shut things down, making 23 saves the rest of the way.

The Avalanche got two goals from rookie defenseman Cale Makar to take the lead before forward Nazem Kadri put the game away late in the third after adding a fourth goal.

Takeaways

Makar continues to break records. His two-goal performance tonight was the first by an Avalanche rookie defenseman since the team relocated from Quebec, and just the third time it has happened in franchise history. Makar has four goals, 13 assists, and 17 points this season, which places him tied for third in scoring among NHL defensemen. He also leads all NHL rookies in scoring.

Colorado remains unbeaten in regulation against the Eastern Conference. The Avalanche have played seven games against the Eastern Conference, winning five and losing twice in overtime. Colorado will play its next five games against conference foes before taking on the Toronto Maple Leafs in two weeks as they look to extend their unbeaten streak against the East.

Francouz faces 40 shots for the second time in his career, makes 39 saves. Forced into action in consecutive games because of an injury to starter Philipp Grubauer, Francouz has responded with two wins. On Thursday, Francouz surrendered four goals but received the offensive support necessary to come away with a victory. Tonight, however, he made 39 saves, including a perfect 16-for-16 in the second period, to give Colorado an opportunity to come from behind.

The Avalanche embark on a five-game road trip, starting with division rival Winnipeg Jets at 8 p.m. on Tuesday at the MTS Centre.

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The Avalanche prepare for the Blue Jackets tonight, but the two teams will meet in Finland in 2020

By Aarif Deen

November 9, 2019

Coming off their dominant 9-4 victory over the Nashville Predators, the Avalanche are set to complete their two-game homestand against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday before heading on the road for six games.

This will also be the last Blue Jackets appearance at the Pepsi Center for two seasons, as they will meet Colorado in Helsinki, Finland, next year for the 2020 NHL Global Series. It will be the second time the Avs will have participated in the Global Series after traveling to Stockholm, Sweden, for two games against the Ottawa Senators in 2017.

“It’s so far away, but we had a great time in Sweden. It was a great team- building for us,” coach Jared Bednar said. “We have guys that have been there and are from there and then to be able to bring our team and show our team around, I think our guys get excited for that.”

Finland is home to a couple of the Avalanche players. Mikko Rantanen, who is currently out with a lower-body injury, is from Nousiainen, Finland, just two hours west of Helsinki. Joonas Donskoi, fresh off of his first career hat-trick, is from Raahe, Finland, and is also excited to go back home for a couple of games next year. Rantanen and Donskoi both played in the SM- in Finland before making the leap to North America.

“I’m super excited, I have a big family in Finland, a lot of friends, so it’s going to be fun to play in front of your friends and family,” Donskoi said. “It’s kind of far away, the focus is on this season and right now but it kind of keeps you energized to know that it’s coming and I spoke to my family today and they were super excited, they will all be in Helsinki to see us play.”

PREVIEW

The Avalanche (9-5-2) will be without captain Gabe Landeskog, forward Colin Wilson, goaltender Philipp Grubauer, and Rantanen tonight against the Blue Jackets. They will also learn more about the injury of defenseman Nikita Zadorov today to determine how long he will be out. Zadorov left the game on Thursday early in the second period after taking a puck to the face on the penalty kill and dropping to the ice for multiple seconds before clearing the zone and exiting the ice.

On Friday, Bednar announced that Zadorov was out indefinitely until an update on his injury was available.

The Blue Jackets enter tonight with a 6-7-3 record, and winners of three of their last ten games. Avalanche forward Matt Calvert, who started his career in Columbus before signing with Colorado in 2018, is off to a hot start this season. He will continue to play on Colorado’s top line with Donskoi and center Nathan MacKinnon.

“Tenacious on pucks, hard on pucks. He’s able to extend plays and keep plays alive in the offensive zone with his puck protection,” Bednar said about the forward who is being rewarded for his strong start to the season. Calvert has 10 points in 16 games and is well on his way to shatter his 26-point career-high from a season ago. “He looks confident, playing with guys on his back and still keeps his head up to make plays.”

The Avalanche and Blue Jackets are set for a 7 p.m. MST puck drop.

milehighsports.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160718 Colorado Avalanche Compher was shooting the puck on the power play tonight, but I didn’t like a ton of the shots he was taking, because he was waiting too long to rip it and Korpisalo was able to get in position. He had a few chances to let it go right away and just waited a second too long. Other than that, he Avs Game 17 Grades: Turn and Burn for the win played very well and his defensive role may increase a bit more if Bellemare is out for any amount of time.

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare – INC BY EVAN RAWAL Just really hope he’s OK. That was a scary play. NOVEMBER 9, 2019 Mark Barberio – C

I know the refs were letting things go in the third, which is frustrating, but Erik Johnson – B Barbs penalty was a legit penalty and something you just have to avoid I feel like we’re at the point where if you don’t notice EJ out there, he’s on something that was very clearly going to be icing. He had some good doing his job, and he did that for over 23 minutes tonight. A quietly solid moments in this one, including a nice breakup on a zone entry on the game from him. His guy ended up scoring on the first goal of the night, Blue Jackets power play. but that was a very flukey bounce to begin with. Samuel Girard – A Cale Makar – A+ Far too often, Girard is too hesitant to shoot the puck. There was no What he is doing is truly remarkable. A rookie defenseman coming in at a hesitation at all on his goal in the first, and I loved it. He got the puck and point per game this far into the season is truly bananas, and unlike earlier knew exactly what he wanted to do with it. Beyond that, he was back to in the year, his points of late haven’t been cheapies. The acceleration on being the automatic breakout that he has been for most of his career. the game-winner is something you aren’t going to see come along very Joonas Donskoi – B often. He could have had more than two as well, particularly if he was a little more selfish on the 2 on 1 in the third that he created all by himself. Donskoi was playing in his 300th game, and I thought he was definitely the best forward on his line. He was hounding the puck on the forecheck, Matt Calvert – B controlling it when he was on the ice, and played well defensively as well. I found the top line to be underwhelming overall on the evening, but It was a different performance than the one he had last game, but that Calvert had a strong game on the forecheck and another workmanlike doesn’t make it any less valuable. evening on the penalty kill. The penalty he took was one of those weird – A over the boards penalties that you know no one intends to take. It’s disappointing to see his ice time at ES be far and away the lowest on Valeri Nichushkin – B+ the Avs in this one, because he once again played very well, and picked This man will never score again, and it’s absurd what is going on. He did up his third primary assist in three games. The best part about the assist not allow Korpisalo to get a good look at the Girard shot that led to the was how decisive he was getting it to Girard, wasting no time whipping it Avs getting on the board, but just moments later he got absolutely robbed back to him. He had some fantastic moments in third as well. Finished by Korpisalo on what looked like a for sure goal. The hit from behind he the night at +7/-1 in shot attempts, and I love seeing him throw his body took from Jones just before Makar’s first goal was a bit much. On the around. forecheck he was tremendous all night long. Matt Nieto – B+ Tyson Jost – A- Don’t look now but Nieto is on pace for over 40 points. For the second Jost was a man on a mission on the forecheck this evening, and it was straight game, he drew eyes to him before dropping it back to the nice to see him get rewarded on the scoreboard as well with two assists. defense, which created another goal. With all the bodies dropping, he His play to get it over to Makar required some patience on his end and just keeps producing in different ways. worked to perfection. Nazem Kadri – B Ryan Graves – D+ This was a bizarre night for Kadri. He was awful in the first half of the Graves was wildly inconsistent in this one. He was getting worked early game. He missed several open chances in front, and also turned it over in the game by Dubois, but also made plays to break up some rushes. way too much, including one that led to a huge chance in front of his own He turned it over just before the Blue Jackets’ second goal but played a net in the first period. But he made a tremendous play springing the role in Makar’s first goal. He played well on the penalty kill but handled game-winner, and even though he got lucky on the fourth goal with the the puck like a grenade in the third period. Just a very up and down deflection, he made the play at the blueline with the . He just keeps game from him, and taking a penalty early didn’t help. finding ways to produce.

Ian Cole – C+ Andre Burakovsky – C

I don’t like when Cole gets too cute with the puck on the breakout, and it Burakovsky was shooting in this one, but none of them were getting nearly burned him in the second period, but then again, it worked on the through to the net, as he had three of his four attempts blocked. If breakout just 30 seconds before Makar tied the game. He stepped back Bellemare is indeed out for a while, I would imagine he’ll move back into into the lineup and for the most part, just kept it simple on the evening. the top six as things shuffle around.

Nathan MacKinnon – C+ Pavel Francouz – B-

A rather pedestrian game from the Avs superstar, but the amount of For the second straight game, he gave up an awful goal, and Bednar hacks and hooks he has to deal with during every game is absurd. If the said as much after the game. But unlike last game, he locked it down refs truly called it by the book, the Avs would have a handful of power after that. The Avs helped him a lot, as they kept a lot of it to the outside plays every game just because of MacKinnon. and let him see some shots. And how can you not love the guy taking a shot at the empty net at the end? That was awesome. T.J. Tynan – B

Tynan did a lot of good things tonight, and when he was on the ice, the Avs didn’t really give up much. He’s pretty good on the forecheck for a BSN DENVER LOADED: 11.10.2019 guy his size, but he knows where to go on the ice. It was surprising to see Bednar using him to protect the lead late in the game, but he has a history with Tynan in the AHL.

J.T. Compher – B 1160719 Colorado Avalanche little head fake that is becoming as much of his trademark as Sam Girard’s spin move.

When he decides he wants to, Makar can create the space necessary to Cale Makar’s time as a hockey-destroying unicorn is only beginning do some damage.

Because he’s just 17 games into his career, it’s reasonable to expect there’s another level for him to find beyond this. BY AJ HAEFELE And that’s exactly what should be keeping the rest of the NHL awake NOVEMBER 9, 2019 tonight.

GAME TAKEAWAYS

One of the things I love most about watching sports is when you see a Not to be too overlooked but Girard was a beast tonight. There were player who, even at the highest level, does things other players simply some turnovers early on that will drive you crazy, especially given his cannot. recent struggles, but he opened the scoring for Colorado and had dominant shot metrics. We are into the seventh season of watching Nathan MacKinnon so it’s easy to take him for granted at times but he certainly stands out as one “Turn and Burn” drove the bus tonight as they scored three of Colorado’s of the NHL’s bests. four goals. Girard and Makar are going to have to continue scoring as the team waits to get healthy. Makar had seven shots on goal tonight, Girard Enter Cale Makar, a unicorn among unicorns. three. That’ll do. You sit someone down to watch hockey who doesn’t have an Nick Foligno was tossed from the game with an elbow to the head of experienced hockey eye and they’ll be able to tell you Makar is just Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Bellemare left the ice with assistance from different. His skating separates him on a basic, fundamental level. teammates and did not return. Should he miss the next game against Talk to a handful of NHL scouts who have dedicated their lives to Winnipeg, the Avs would be without four of their 12 regular forwards watching pro hockey and you’ll get the exact same response. coming into the season.

After scoring two goals in Colorado’s 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Foligno’s hit will surely be a topic of discussion at the Department of Jackets and pushing his season point total to 17 (4g, 13a) in 17 games, Player Safety tomorrow. A suspension would not be surprising, especially he’s on pace to obliterate any recent rookie defensemen scoring totals. if Bellemare is hurt for any length of time.

If Makar failed to score any points in the next 12 games, he would still be Early returns from Colorado’s room suggest Bellemare will be okay long- on pace for a 48-point season, which would be the second-highest since term but there was no postgame update on his status. Dion Phaneuf’s 49-point season in 2005-06. Nathan MacKinnon skipped the third period of Colorado’s win over We knew there was potential for Makar to be special when he showed up Nashville and then did not participate in yesterday’s practice or today’s after leading UMass to the national championship game and scored six morning skate. He played but clearly wasn’t quite 100%. He was still points in 10 playoff games. dangerous but the Blue Jackets were able to eat a little greedy with him on the ice tonight. This is, somehow, Makar living up to the hype. I thought Val Nichushkin was an absolute monster tonight. He was all That was the hype that compared him to Erik Karlsson in his draft year. over the ice creating chances. It was, unfortunately, his 86th consecutive The hype that had him pegged as a potential Norris Trophy candidate as regular-season game without a goal, however, because Korpisalo robbed the league’s best defenseman. him twice in this one. This is starting to feel cruel.

Right now, Makar sits tied for third among all NHL defensemen in scoring On the flip side of that coin, Vlad Kamenev recorded an assist in his third (John Carlson is a mile ahead with 28 points in 18 games). straight game and none of them have been cheap. He played under 10 minutes but again found ways to be effective. Columbus managed just Maybe what’s been most remarkable about Makar’s early-season one shot on goal with Kamenev on the ice tonight. He also won four of success has been the lack of dominant efforts to produce such a point- his five faceoffs. per-game scoring pace. There have only been four games this season in which Makar has failed to record a point. Pavel Francouz was shaky early but really locked it down as the game went on. He let in another leaky goal but responded by shutting it down Following a three-point outburst two nights ago in the 9-4 romp over from then on. He permanently won me over by trying to score on the Nashville, Makar again stepped up and tapped into that otherworldly empty CBJ net with time winding down. That was awesome. ability tonight with his two-goal effort. Francouz did score a goal in his KHL career but it didn’t count because it Down 2-1 entering the second period, Makar took the game over. His came just a second after the final buzzer. Kudos to the guy for having the bar-down snipe at 10:52 tied the game and then he flew the neutral zone and jumped into the play in ways almost no other defenders in the NHL BSN DENVER LOADED: 11.10.2019 are even capable of to help create the two-on-one where he scored the game-winning goal off a nice pass from Tyson Jost.

The second goal was a bit of good fortune when Columbus goaltender Joonas Korpisalo got over in time but Makar “panicked” and flubbed it a bit and it ended up finding its way through Korpisalo’s five-hole.

The Avs locked it down in the third and a Nazem Kadri goal to make it 4- 2 sealed the victory and gave the Avalanche a 2-0 homestand as they prepare to head back to the road for their second five-game road trip of the season.

But after the dust settled, it was Makar’s sublime performance that stood out among all the rest.

While the underlying numbers show Makar has plenty of room to grow his game defensively, it was the eyes that were repeatedly caught by Makar’s speed and aggression with the puck that noticed him changing the game when he was out there.

It’s silly to think this is only the beginning for Makar. His ability to separate himself from defenders is something few other defensemen (forwards, too, if we’re being honest) are capable of. We again saw the 1160720 Columbus Blue Jackets

Avalanche 4, Blue Jackets 2 | Familiar start leads to familiar result, another loss

Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch

Nov 9, 2019 at 11:46 PM

DENVER — The scenery keeps changing, but the games remain largely the same.

Once again, the Blue Jackets started off with a lead. Once again, though, they forced goalie Joonas Korpisalo to make a number of difficult saves to keep a dam from breaking. Once again, it finally broke in the second and third periods Saturday night, when the Colorado Avalanche scored three goals to overcome a one-goal deficit for a 4-2 victory.

Cale Makar scored two goals to lead the Avalanche, and Samuel Girard and Nazem Kadri added one each. Pavel Francouz made 39 saves, becoming the latest opposing goalie to frustrate the Blue Jackets. Emil Bemstrom and Zach Werenski each scored goals, and Korpisalo made 32 saves.

Just as they did Thursday in a 3-2 victory at the Arizona Coyotes, the Jackets struck first. Bemstrom’s second goal in as many games — both on power plays — gave them a 1-0 lead 4:55 into the game.

It wasn’t as quick as Nyquist’s goal 14 seconds into the game against the Coyotes, but the Jackets did give Korpisalo another early lead to protect, which he did until Colorado’s Samuel Girard tied it at 1 at 15:06 on a power play.

Four minutes later, Zach Werenski put the Jackets back in front — a record-setting goal that moved him past Rostislav Klesla for the most by a Blue Jackets defenseman with 42 — but the boost it provided wasn’t enough.

The Avalanche responded in the second by taking the lead 3-2 on Makar’s two goals. They also seized control of the action and put the Blue Jackets on their heels.

Makar’s first goal, set up with a nice pass by his defense partner, Ryan Graves, tied it at 2 with 9:08 left. His shot sailed over Korpisalo’s glove on the short side, prompting the Jackets goalie to angrily swat the puck into the neutral zone out of frustration.

Makar struck again 5:19 later, making it 3-2 at 16:11 off a 2-on-1 rush. After getting a cross-ice pass from Tyson Jost, he beat Korpisalo low to the glove side.

Things continued to spiral for the Blue Jackets 1:04 later, when captain Nick Foligno attempted a big open-ice hit on Colorado’s Pierre-Edouard Bellemare. Foligno lunged at Bellemare, made high contact with his shoulder and sent the Avalanche center flying backward.

Bellemare, whose head hit the ice, immediately left the game to get checked out. Foligno was given a five-minute major for charging plus a game misconduct, which could draw the attention of the NHL’s department of player safety.

The Avalanche could have broken the game open afterward, getting a five-minute power play that spanned the second and third periods, but the Jackets killed it off to stay within a goal.

The Jackets also drew penalties for two power plays in the third, but Francouz and the Avalanche didn’t allow the tying goal.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160721 Columbus Blue Jackets being struck in the mouth by the puck in Arizona. “It can (always) be worse,” he said. “But I feel good.”

Blue Jackets look for win to boost their confidence Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 11.10.2019

Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch

Nov 9, 2019 at 10:46 PM

DENVER — The search continued Saturday in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains.

After ending a five-game skid Thursday with a 3-2 victory at the Arizona Coyotes, the Blue Jackets brought an ongoing search for confidence north to face the Colorado Avalanche.

Winning in the desert lifted their spirits, but that game could have gone either way. The Jackets didn’t dominate, weren’t crisp and showed a general sense of unease again, something that has afflicted every part of their game.

“It’s one of the most amazing things in our league,” coach John Tortorella said. “You have these studs of players, great people, just everything’s going well for them, but they end up losing their confidence one way or another sometimes. It’s the most amazing thing in our game is the mental state of these good-looking, stud guys, that are on top of their game — and they’re afraid to make a play right now. It happens. So, we’ve just got to try to work it out.”

He would prefer that those studs figure it out first, leading the Jackets out of the darkness.

Going into the game against Colorado, only top center Pierre-Luc Dubois (six goals, five assists) and top-six winger Gustav Nyquist (three goals, seven assists) had reached double-digit points. Cam Atkinson was the next closest at eight points (three goals, five assists), but hadn’t scored a goal since Oct. 24 against the (six games).

Coming off a career-high 41 goals last season, Atkinson is scuffling now — including a point-blank shot Thursday in Arizona that was denied by goalie Darcy Kuemper.

It’s not just him, though.

Zach Werenski (three goals, three assists) had a minus-8 rating before facing the Avalanche. Boone Jenner had four goals, but only one assist and a minus-9 rating. Josh Anderson had just one goal, one assist and a minus-6 rating in 10 games. Captain Nick Foligno had six points, but only one goal.

Even Seth Jones is off to a slow start by his standards, with eight points (one goal, seven assists) and a minus-4 rating. He hasn’t moved the puck as confidently, either.

“Jonesy is lacking confidence right now,” Tortorella said at the morning skate Saturday. “It’s evident. He’s going to work himself out of it … and it’s going to come back. We’ve just got to get them feeling good about themselves.”

The Avalanche isn’t shy about reminding visitors where they are standing.

A “welcome” sign above a doorway at Pepsi Center is a reminder that games there are contested a mile above sea level, where there is less oxygen. Tortorella said one of the biggest keys to getting through it is taking shorter shifts.

“We certainly have to respect the altitude,” he said. “Working out today, I felt it. They understand it. They’ve been here enough. It’s the young kids we have to be concerned about and explain that to them, but forget about the altitude. I’ll tell you right now, I think we’re taking (too many) long shifts, period. It has to change and that’s going to change.”

News and notes

Rookie forward Kole Sherwood returned to the lineup and center Riley Nash was a healthy scratch, missing his first game of the season. … It wasn’t clear after the morning skate, but either Foligno or rookie Alexandre Texier was expected to join the center rotation with Nash scratched. … Texier has a swollen lip, but didn’t lose any teeth after 1160722 Columbus Blue Jackets

Emil Bemstrom's first NHL goal fires up Blue Jackets

Brian Hedger The Columbus Dispatch

Nov 9, 2019 at 5:30 AM

PHOENIX — If you want to learn about a , ask his catcher.

Likewise, if you want to learn about a hockey player’s shot, ask one of his goalies. They inherently know the difference between good, great, mediocre and bad — because they see all variants on a daily basis — and their facial expressions reveal the truest tale.

That’s why Joonas Korpisalo’s raised eyebrows meant something Thursday night at Gila River Arena, when the Blue Jackets goalie was asked about rookie forward Emil Bemstrom’s first NHL goal in a 3-2 victory against the Arizona Coyotes.

“He’s a goal-scorer,” Korpisalo said. “I think it’s going to be really good for him to get going. He’s a great player — really good shot and he knows how to put the puck in the net.”

After spending the past four seasons as Sergei Bobrovsky’s understudy and then winning the role of Bobrovsky’s replacement this season, Korpisalo knows a thing or two about goal-scorers. He has faced plenty of them, been beaten by them and, by now, knows one when he sees one.

He sees one in Bemstrom, and so do the rest of the Blue Jackets (6-7-3), who got a lift from his goal, which tied the score at 2-2 on a power play late in the second period.

“Huge,” said Korpisalo, who was almost single-handedly keeping the Blue Jackets in the game at that point. “And you see the bench … like, I heard (them) from the other end, too, ‘Now we get going!’ you know? Bemstrom’s first goal. I’m really happy for him.”

He isn’t alone.

If you felt the ground move a little after Bemstrom followed up his own shot with a backhand flip that deflected into the net, it might have been caused by Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen — who has a lot invested in rookies this season, including Bemstrom and forward Alexandre Texier.

The latter swept into North America last season and dazzled, while the former helped his Swedish team, Djurgardens, advance to the ’s final series. Bemstrom led the SHL with 23 goals at age 19, the youngest to accomplish that feat, and there was a lot of hope coming into this season that it would translate into immediate NHL success.

Instead, Bemstrom was overwhelmed starting out. He looked flummoxed by the league's skill level, smaller rinks and blinding pace of play, which prevented him from getting more than fourth-line minutes.

He has also shuffled on and off the power play, his specialty in Sweden, but is back on it and starting to blossom.

“I felt like I wanted to (make) some more plays (in the third period),” he said Thursday night, speaking through a smile only a hockey player could appreciate. “I’ve been waiting for this for 15 games (this season), so it’s been frustrating. But I did it, so I’m happy with that.”

He’s not the only one.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160723 Columbus Blue Jackets With 2:06 remaining, the Avs took a 4-2 lead on Nazem Kadri’s deflected knuckle-puck that sailed over Korpisalo’s glove. It was a bad-bounce goal but one that ended all reasonable hope of a Blue Jackets comeback.

Portzline: 10 observations from the Blue Jackets’ 4-2 loss to Colorado; Korpisalo immediately gave his stick a robust whack on the crossbar, Nick Foligno could face a suspension then dug the puck out of his net and sent it whizzing down the ice. As a linesman was stopping the puck with his skate in the neutral zone, Korpisalo gave his stick another, more moderate whack before getting it together. By Aaron Portzline Only the first part of Korpisalo’s outburst was caught by television Nov 10, 2019 cameras:

On one hand, Korpisalo’s frustration is warranted and understandable. DENVER — Ten observations following the Blue Jackets’ 4-2 loss to The Blue Jackets have six wins in 17 games so far this season, and Colorado on Saturday in Pepsi Center: they’re quickly falling out of the running in the Metro Division.

1. Nick Foligno could face a suspension But when a goaltender loses his mind like that, it makes those watching at home wonder where his anger lies. With Seth Jones for deflecting As if a 4-2 loss wasn’t dispiriting enough, the Blue Jackets could be Kadri’s shot? For the bad-bounce goal he just allowed? For another loss? without captain Nick Foligno for the short term after an open-ice hit gone awry late in the third period. And as his teammates articulated last time, throwing temper tantrums sends a signal to the rest of the NHL that you’re never far from coming Foligno stepped up to hit Colorado’s Pierre-Edouard Bellemare at 17:15 unglued. of the second period, his elbow or left arm appearing to clip Bellemare’s head as they passed near the blue line. Reputations form quickly and are hard to change.

Bellemare hit the ice and appeared dazed. After less than a minute on 4. Big kill, but can’t ride the momentum the ice, he gathered himself and skated off to the dressing room under The Blue Jackets killed Foligno’s five-minute major penalty, surviving his own power. He did not return to the game. short-handed for the final 2:45 of the second period and the first 2:15 of Foligno was done for the night, too. He was initially given a five-minute the third. The Avs generated four shots on goal during that span, from an major for charging, but after reviewing the play, officials gave him a game average of 41.5 feet away from the net. misconduct, too. “I told the boys, the coaches, in between periods, ‘If we kill this off, I think The question now is whether he’ll face supplemental discipline from the we’re going to win the game,'” Tortorella said. “(Alexandre) Texier had a NHL. As of 12:30 a.m. Sunday, nothing had been determined by the good look. We had a couple of other chances to tie that game, just didn’t league’s player safety department. get it done.”

Foligno has never been fined or suspended. This was only the third After putting up 34 shots on goal through two periods, the Blue Jackets game misconduct of his 858-game career and his first since joining the managed only seven shots on goal in the third. Still, they finished with 41 Blue Jackets in 2012-13. shots on goal, their third-highest total of the season.

2. Foligno apologizes, says he’s ‘sick to his stomach’ “The puck’s gotta start dropping for us here,” said Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski, who scored his fourth of the season late in Foligno was sitting in his locker stall in the Pepsi Center visitors dressing the second period. room when the postgame room was open to the media. “We have a lot of chances, a lot of shots. We have to find a way to get “I actually didn’t know I hit him in the head at all, that’s why I was kind of some dirty goals around the net. Some rebounds, some screens, some reacting the way I did, and then I saw the replay,” Foligno said. “There tips … we’re getting the shots but not the goals.” was no intent to hit him like that at all. I’m trying to line him up at the time, and he kind of turns back and makes that play, and it just happens so 5. Move aside, Rusty fast. Werenski’s goal with 54 seconds left in the second period gave the Blue “I felt sick to my stomach when I saw that I hit him in the head. It’s an Jackets a 2-1 lead. It also was the 42nd goal of Werenski’s career, a new unfortunate collision. My main concern is that he’s all right, and I got franchise record for defensemen. word from their locker room that he was feeling all right.” Rostislav Klesla, the first draft pick in franchise history, had been the Asked if he expected to hear from the NHL, Foligno said that was not his record-holder with 41 games. Werenski did it in less than half as many primary concern. games (254) as Klesla (515), which is not to disparage Klesla, only to illuminate what Werenski has accomplished offensively so early in his “I don’t know; I’m not going to go there,” he said. “I’m … my main career. concern is that he’s all right, and it sounds like he’s feeling all right, not too bad. This will be a stat that is followed all season. Seth Jones and David Savard have each scored 40 goals for the Blue Jackets, so they’re right “I’ve never been in this situation before in the 13 years I’ve played. It’s a behind Werenski. hard one for me. You never want to hurt anyone. I don’t have to tell you guys; I think my track record speaks for itself. 6. Bemstrom … again!

“I would never maliciously try to hurt somebody. It made me sick. I’m still Emil Bemstrom couldn’t buy a goal for the first 15 games of the season. sick to my stomach the way it kind of went down. But that’s the way this Now he has power-play goals in back-to-back games, and both of them game goes. It happens so fast. My main concern is that he’s OK.” have been nifty plays off rebounds.

Avs coach Jared Bednar did not provide an update after the game, On Saturday, Bemstrom was low in the left circle when he swatted a saying he expected to know more Sunday. puck out of the air after it deflected to him off a Jones shot. It gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead at 4:55 of the first. 3. Korpisalo’s temper flares again In Thursday’s win in Phoenix, Bemstrom followed his own shot toward When Blue Jackets goaltender Joonas Korpisalo lost his mind in a stick- the net and ended up scoring from below the goal line after the puck versus-goalpost rage against Philadelphia on Oct. 26, he apologized to bounced off the end board. his teammates on the flight home and was warned by coach John Tortorella to get his temper under control. Bemstrom is now — gulp — tied for the club lead in power-play goals. With two. “It won’t happen again,” Tortorella said. 7. Shootin’ blanks Well, it happened again. Through Saturday’s games, the Blue Jackets rank seventh in the NHL in The leaders in individual scoring chances were Werenski (4) and Texier shots on goal, putting up an average of 33.6 per game. That’s the good (3). Six forwards tied at two each. news. Korpisalo’s unblocked save percentage was -2.98 below expected The bad news is the Blue Jackets are dead last with a 7.0 shooting league average, equating to -1.34 goals saved above average. percentage, trailing Detroit (7.1) and Los Angeles (7.1). The leaders in terms of game score: Cam Atkinson (1.61), Bemstrom That can be a hard number to quantify, but consider the following: (1.45), Savard (.93), Vladislav Gavrikov (.92) and Foligno (.76).

The league average is 9.6 percent, which would produce roughly 15 — Data via MoneyPuck, Evolving-Hockey and Natural Stat Trick and more goals at the Blue Jackets’ shot-on-goal pace. reflects score and venue adjusted five-on-five play unless otherwise stated. The Blue Jackets were 10th in the league, at 9.9, last season.

No team has finished a season at 7.0 percent or lower since the 2014-15 Arizona Coyotes (6.9), which finished 24-50-8. The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019

“Just keep on working,” Tortorella said. “We generated 20 scoring chances tonight. You just have to keep on working at it, and hopefully … I thought Cam (Atkinson) played better tonight. You just hope they find a way to score a goal and we find a way to get some flow to our game.”

8. Nash scratched, Wennberg demoted

Tortorella made an inordinate amount of line changes given the Blue Jackets beat the Coyotes on Thursday, snapping a five-game losing streak in the process.

Riley Nash was made a healthy scratch for the first time since joining the Blue Jackets as a free agent before the 2018-19 season. In 94 career games with Columbus, Nash is 4-13-17.

Alexander Wennberg has cooled after a promising start. He was benched for a couple of shifts on Thursday and was dropped to the fourth line with Bemstrom and Kole Sherwood on Saturday.

With Nash out of the lineup, the Blue Jackets needed a center, so Foligno moved to the middle, as he’s done so many times previously. Foligno skated between Texier and Atkinson.

9. The Avs have been hit hard by injuries

Yes, the Avalanche are considered Stanley Cup contenders, so there’s no shame in losing to them.

But the Avs, who routed Nashville 9-4 on Thursday, are playing without top forwards Gabriel Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and Colin Wilson, as well as No. 1 goaltender Philipp Grubauer.

Backup goaltender Pavel Francouz made the start Saturday and turned away 39 of 41 shots.

10. Pearls and nuggets

Blue Jackets forward Josh Anderson doesn’t seem himself these days, as if he might be playing through an injury. He was the only forward without a shot on goal and played just 13:57. … With his first-period assist, Gustav Nyquist now has an eight-game road point streak, the fifth- longest in franchise history. He has recorded a point (3-7-10) in all eight road games this season. … D David Savard led the Blue Jackets with six shots on goal. … The Blue Jackets power play is 4-for-21 (19 percent) over the last six games. Hey, baby steps. … Goaltender Elvis Merzlikins stopped 28 of 30 shots on Friday versus Laval in his AHL debut for Cleveland. He did not play Saturday against Laval, yielding the nets to Veini Vehvilainen in a 4-0 loss. The Monsters don’t play again until Tuesday versus Grand Rapids. … The Blue Jackets are off on Sunday and will fly to Montreal in the afternoon. They play the Canadiens on Tuesday in Bell Centre.

Alison Lukan’s analytics

The Athletic’s Alison Lukan provided these insights into the Blue Jackets’ loss:

The Blue Jackets were playing along a precarious margin in this game in terms of quantity versus quality. Columbus had a small advantage in terms of shot share (54.52 percent), scoring chances (51.02 percent) and expected goals (51.45 percent). According to MoneyPuck, the final expected goal total was 2.18 to 2.56 in favor of Colorado.

Columbus needs to get its offense going, so here’s the good and bad news. The two top performers in terms of individual shot attempts in five- on-five play kept pace with Colorado. Those players were Savard (6) and Werenski (5). Texier also had five. So players are creating opportunities, but that’s also one forward in the top three. 1160724 Columbus Blue Jackets xGA / 60). That’s the 18th-most challenging level of shot quality against among all goaltenders who have played four games or more.

Here’s what Merzlikins has faced. Guideposts: Taking stock of the Blue Jackets’ slim margin for error and So why the disconnect between a solid defensive performance and a their defensive optimism lesser offensive one?

Transition play By Alison Lukan A team can keep an opponent from creating and/or scoring, but it has to Nov 9, 2019 move the puck to the opposite end of the rink to turn prevention of goals against into creation of goals for.

Corey Sznajder has tracked six of the Blue Jackets’ games this season in Every year, NHL teams pursue success by playing within a system that terms of exiting the defensive zone and entering the offensive zone (a matches their roster and outlines how to maximize team talent. So when sample-size warning is important here). Using that data, the table below John Tortorella laid out his road map for how the Blue Jackets needed to shows the difference in each Blue Jackets player’s performance this play this season, we identified some key measures that could help us season compared with last season in terms of how many exits he understand how the team was performing in terms of what was expected executes per 60 minutes of play. Specifically, we’re looking at how many of it. And just like last season, we’re going to check in on as many of exits are controlled and how many exit attempts fail. For each measure, them as we can every month. blue indicates improvement over last season and red indicates a decrease in overall exits of each type. Let’s dig in. Some of the team’s most effective puck movers have struggled early on Offensive play in terms of getting the puck out of the zone, particularly with control. It’s It’s no secret that the Blue Jackets have found it a challenge to score worth mentioning that the overall percentage breakdowns of how many goals. Is there a why that we can identify? exits are controlled for each player is relatively consistent compared with last season, it’s just not happening as much as it has, and for some, The easiest answer is puck luck. Going into Thursday’s game, Columbus there are more failed attempts. had the fourth-lowest shooting percentage in the league in five-on-five play (6.55 percent) and the second-lowest in all situations (7.21 percent). Putting the puzzle together That’s just unbelievably low. All of this combined outlines the importance of the team staying on its Another part of this equation is shot quality, which we can measure in game. The Blue Jackets are playing on a thin margin for error, and the expected goals (xG). The Blue Jackets rank 23rd (2.2) in this measure, loss of any advantage can have big impacts. and when you add in the fact the team is 19th in shot volume (53.84 shot The chart below shows the percentage of expected goals Columbus has attempts per 60), you’re asking a team to make more out of fewer gotten game over game this season. The horizontal line represents an chances that have lower quality. even split between the two teams in terms of shot quality. Above the line So Columbus should expect more shots to fall its way, but the team still means the Blue Jackets have an advantage, below indicates where needs to shoot more with the purpose of creating more opportunities and opponents built an edge. The farther above the line the better, the lower pushing for better quality in the chances it gets. below the line — the more cause for concern.

Let’s look at the other end of the ice. This shows just how close to break-even the Jackets are playing. If they can build up an advantage either by increasing offense or improving Defensive play defense, any advantage helps. As The Athletic’s Sean Tierney noted: Of all teams getting above-average goaltending performance at five-on-five Tortorella wanted his team to play sound defense to limit chances (as measured by save percentage), only three teams have a negative against and to allow two evolving goaltenders more time and space to goal share: Chicago, Winnipeg and Columbus. develop. Of course, there is one other part of the game that can — and should — This is an area in which the Blue Jackets have been strong overall. In provide a spark. five-on-five play, Columbus has the seventh-best performance in terms of limiting shot quality against (2.15 expected goals against / 60). Special teams

What’s really interesting, however, is that the team doesn’t rank as highly Power play in terms of preventing shot events against (shots on target, misses), so the Blue Jackets are letting opponents shoot, but they just aren’t letting Last season, two of the key issues for the Blue Jackets were not creating them do it from the most dangerous areas. enough shots and being slow to score. Unfortunately, those issues persist. Going into Thursday’s game, Columbus sat 27th in the league in This season, the Jackets defense is reducing opponents’ offensive threat terms of shot attempts per 60 on the power play (84.69) and 26th in by 17 percent, which is a noticeable difference compared with -3 last goals per 60 (4.26). season and places them among teams such as the New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes, who had two of the lowest totals in terms of goals Perhaps one ray of hope lies in the shot quality the team is getting — against. 6.42 expected goals per 60, which ranks 17th in the league. So, much like at even strength, if the power play can get some puck luck and shot So, the defense is strong. Are the goaltenders doing their part? volume, the Jackets should see some more pucks in the net even if they don’t up their shot rates. Goaltending Penalty kill Among the league’s starting goaltenders, Joonas Korpisalo is in the top 10 in terms of facing the least dangerous shot quality against (2.46 xGA / The penalty kill was a source of pride last season for the Blue Jackets, 60). At an individual level, his overall save percentage is 1.79 percent who sat as one of the top two in the league in terms of success rate. For below where it should be compared with a league-average goaltender a team that is playing on a thinner margin this season, shutting down and that translates to 5.35 goals saved below average (GSAA). opponents’ offensive opportunities becomes even more important.

Here’s what Korpisalo’s workload has looked like. Thus far this season, Columbus sits 12th in terms of preventing quality shots against when playing a man down (6.5 xGA / 60), compared with Elvis Merzlikins is close to his fellow netminder in terms of overall coming in third as the Jackets did last season (5.69 xGA / 60). performance. His save percentage is 2 percent below league average based on the shots he has faced, but that translates to 2.18 goals saved In terms of creating chances of their own, while the Blue Jackets were below average given that he has faced one of the most dangerous second overall last season in short-handed shots for (16.36 / 60), in this workloads in terms of shots against thus far in this early season (2.84 young campaign, they currently sit at 17th with 11.11 shots for / 60. There is reason for optimism here, however. There’s been very little personnel change on the penalty kill, and the units have been able to shut out their opponents across the past three games (and eight total this season).

What does it all mean?

There is reason for concern and there is reason for optimism if this team wants to be in the playoff hunt down the stretch. Of course, both parts of special teams can improve. There is an onus on this team to find ways to create more chances of higher quality to increase the likelihood of getting a goal, but the Jackets are also likely to get at least some boost from shooting percentages returning to normal.

There was no better example of puck luck (finally) turning the Blue Jackets’ way than Thursday’s game in Arizona.

Similarly, the defense is playing well. The Jackets need to focus on allowing less offensive volume against by executing breakouts more frequently and at a higher success rate.

“It’s getting (the puck) in deep,” Nick Foligno said. “Allowing your team to forecheck, allowing your team to tilt the ice and play a three-quarters game as we call it. When you do that, it’s amazing how the other team just gets on their heels, they don’t get to get their game going.

“This is the team we’re going have to be. This is who we are, and we can’t stray from it, because as soon as we do that’s when teams can bounce. … The style of play that we have to play has to be that because it allows us to have (some) imperfections throughout the game. And then our team can continue to move forward.”

— Data via NaturalStatTrick.com, Corsica.Hockey and Evolving- Hockey.com. All numbers represent five-on-five performance unless otherwise stated. This post relies heavily on shot-based metrics. Here is a good primer on these numbers.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160725 Dallas Stars “Mattias has played there in the past, smart player and I liked the way that power play unit moved around,” Montgomery said. “They read off each other. They weren’t stuck to their positions.”

After topsy-turvy first month, Jim Montgomery shares how the Stars Seguin spent the last four games in the slot as the bumper, a position rediscovered their identity that asks players to retrieve pucks and relieve pressure instead of rip one-timers. On Sunday, he and Radulov will both be on their one-timer sides.

By Matthew DeFranks “The key when they’ve had success when those two are in those spots is the puck movement is fast and they’re getting inside the dots,” 1:04 AM on Nov 10, 2019 Montgomery said. “When they’re outside the dots and the puck is not moving, then the power play struggles and looks very stagnant. This is where 91 can show me that that’s where he belongs over where I had FRISCO — For Stars coach Jim Montgomery and the Dallas coaching him.” staff, this week was a period of reflection and analysis. This season, Seguin doesn’t have a power-play goal and just one total With five days between Tuesday’s win over Colorado and Sunday’s date goal in the last 13 games. in Winnipeg, the schedule allowed the Stars to look back on a topsy-turvy opening month that opened with a 1-7-1 start that ushered worry, but -- Ben Bishop will start in goal for the Stars on Sunday in Winnipeg, finished with a 7-1-0 stretch that inspired optimism. Montgomery and his Montgomery said. staff looked at where they can get better, what went wrong, and why things turned around. Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.10.2019 What did they find?

“I thought that honestly, we were so concerned about not getting away from our identity that we probably were, I was, too defensive-minded,” Montgomery said. “That’s the No. 1 takeback.”

The Stars developed an identity as a stingy defensive team that kept quality chances to a minimum and then backstopped that with a one-two punch in net that was among the best in the NHL. So entering this season, that was going to be the team’s path to success again. But Montgomery said the Stars went too far in getting there.

The result was an offense that ranked at the bottom of the league, averaging 1.89 goals per game and carrying a power play that was 1 for 25 through the first nine games of the season. That, combined with a slow start from both Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin, meant the Stars sank to the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Since then, in the last eight games, the Stars have averaged three goals per game while firing almost five more shots on goal per game. The goaltending has a .955 save percentage and 1.51 goals against average in that same span.

“That’s been the backbone of the team for the last three years,” Montgomery said. “The Dallas Stars don’t give up much and that they rely on goaltenders making saves for them.”

Montgomery said Friday night’s game in Colorado was an example of the type of game the Stars want to play, and it had more to do with a mentality the players played with versus a coaching adjustment he made. It was also a chance to show that the potentially season-changing comeback against Minnesota a few days prior wasn’t a fluky one-off period.

“It’s a mindset, right?” Montgomery said. “I think the only thing structurally we did is we sent two forwards, go at their D. I guess it was a more descriptive, aggressive mindset, but it got our guys moving. I don’t know if that helped with anything, but I thought emotion was the biggest thing that came into our game, as far as from the players.”

Last year, Montgomery and the Stars used the All-Star break as a reset button. The staff emphasized simple strategies both on the rush and in the offensive zone as players took more ownership of the team. Dallas went 19-11-3 down the stretch to clinch a playoff spot in Montgomery’s first season.

New look power play: Without injured defenseman John Klingberg, the Stars used a tweaked power play unit during practice on Saturday morning. One unit remained with Miro Heiskanen at the point, Corey Perry at the net-front, Joe Pavelski in the slot and Jamie Benn and Denis Gurianov in the circles.

The other one, which had featured Klingberg in the left circle, now had Tyler Seguin there to use his one-timer, and inserted Mattias Janmark in the slot. Radek Faksa remained at the net-front with Esa Lindell at the point and Alexander Radulov in the right circle.

For Janmark, it marks the first real power play time of the season for him. He entered Sunday averaged just two seconds of power play time a game through the first 17 games. 1160726 Detroit Red Wings 4-10-4 — better than two teams! — but gave up 89 goals, the most by the franchise through 18 games. Of course, teams scored much more in those days; the league average through 18 games that season was 70.9 goals allowed. One team, the Los Angeles Kings, was even worse than How this Detroit Red Wings opening disintegration compares to past 18- the Wings, at 94 goals allowed. game starts The ’85-86 Wings took 10 games to get his first win, an 0-8- 1 stretch that included a 9-2 home loss (to the Bruins) and a 10-1 road loss (to the North Stars). Things got so bad that the Free Press held a Ryan Ford contest asking readers to submit their best “Woeful Wings” joke. Published 6:57 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2019 (Actually, Neale’s first win came the day of the contest’s announcement. Go figure.)

The Wings didn’t get much better along the way, putting up a nine-game This year has not been kind to Ilitch-owned sports teams. The Detroit losing streak in December. Neale was finally fired on Dec. 30, a few days Tigers went 47-114, posting a .292 winning percentage that is the after his post-victory quip of “We win one a month, whether we have to or second-worst mark in team history. But at least those Tigers were not.” Yzerman had a somber farewell quote for Neale in the next day’s winning games early in the season. paper: “Harry was very fair to us. Maybe he shouldn’t have been, the way we were going. Maybe with a last-place club you have to kick The Detroit Red Wings, however, have lost 13 of their past 16 games everybody’s (expletive) all the time.” (including a point-earning overtime loss) to fall to 5-12-1 after 18 games. (True, the Wings opened the season 2-0, winning on back-to-back nights in early October. That seems like a lifetime ago.) Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.10.2019 Friday night’s victory over the Boston Bruins put the Wings’ points percentage at .306, not far off the franchise record low of .250. That was set by the 1985-86 squad, which went 17-57-6. Just FYI for coach Jeff Blashill: That team was also the most recent Wings team to fire a coach midseason — Harry Neale made it just 35 games into his first season before being replaced by Brad Park.

The Wings can’t put the puck in the net (their 39 goals ranks 29th out of 31 teams), can’t keep it out of the net (70 goals allowed is a league-high), and are rarely involved in close games (nine of their 12 regulation losses have been by three goals or more). But hey, Blashill hasn’t been fired … yet. While we wait, let’s look at some of the worst 18-game starts in franchise history:

1937-38: 3-13-2

The ’37-38 Wings, who were coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, cratered out of the gate and managed just eight points. Granted, 18 games was a much larger sample size in the 1930s because the NHL schedule spanned just 48 games. But the falloff was just as puzzling, with coach Jack Adams openly pondering whether to demote goalie Norm Smith — who’d been the NHL’s top goalie the previous season — to the minors after Game No. 18. “It’s pretty hard to send the Vezina Trophy winner to Pittsburgh," Adams told the Free Press. "It’s sort of comparable to sending Charlie Gehringer to the Mud Hens because he’s in a slump.”

Of course, Smith wasn’t the only problem for the Wings; they were also dead last in scoring in the eight-team NHL — yes, this was before the league was down to “The Original Six” — with just 27 goals. Adams couldn’t send the entire team down, and so on they went. The Wings would finish that season with a 9-12-9 kick to end 12-25-11.

1982-83: 3-12-3

For pure goal differential, no Wings team has had a worse start than the ’82-83 squad, which was outscored by 37 goals. (For perspective, the 2019-20 Wings have a minus-31 differential.) That awful start wasn’t exactly unexpected, though; the Wings were coming off a 21-47-12 season that had cost coach Wayne Maxner his job late in the season, the day after the Norris family announced the franchise was up for sale. Mike Ilitch picked up the team, and his GM pick, Jimmy Devellano, brought in Nick Polano behind the bench.

Polano didn’t pick up his first win until Game 8, a 6-2 trouncing of the Sabres. The Wings won three of five games, then rattled off a 14-game winless streak (including five ties) that covered the entire month of November. After 18 games, the Wings had just nine points, three points behind the next worst team in the 21-team NFL. They wouldn’t stay that bad, however, rebounding with a 18-32-12 record in the final 62 games to finish with the No. 4 overall pick: Some unknown by the name of Yzerman. Hmm, whatever happened to him?

1985-86: 4-10-4

Of course, Steve Yzerman didn’t turn the Wings around immediately. OK, well, he almost did — they made the playoffs in each of the next two seasons (albeit in an era when 16 of 21 teams made the postseason) but they fell back to sheer awfulness in his third season. The Wings opened 1160727 Detroit Red Wings The game offered Larkin a chance to do what he loves: Contain an elite line - Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak - while providing offense.

The Detroit Red Wings demonstrated they can win. Here's what worked Bernier was brilliant at times, like when he robbed Pastrnak with a minute to go in the second period, just after the Bruins had made it 3-2. Bernier made five saves during the Bruins first of four power plays. They scored on one with four seconds left, but overall it was an encouraging Helene St. James performance for a penalty kill that had sunk to a league-worst 66.7%. Published 6:00 a.m. ET Nov. 9, 2019 It was only one game, but for the team that had won just once in the previous 13, Friday ended in relief and celebration.

The Detroit Red Wings demonstrated — to themselves, most importantly “It was a tough stretch,” Bernier said. “No one wants to go through this. — how well they can play. Everyone wants to do their job and perform, but it was one of those where we couldn’t explain what was going on - our PK, our power play, They even demonstrated they can score on the power play, thanks to couldn’t connect. We have to make sure we come in on Sunday, another their latest addition. big test, and we have to do the same.”

Their performance against the Boston Bruins is something to build on when the Wings host the Vegas Golden Knights Sunday. They won on the strength of special teams and the goaltending of Jonathan Bernier. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.10.2019

Most immediately, the 4-2 victory meant coming off the ice in a good mood, instead of the misery that descended as blowout losses piled up.

“It was a big, big win for us,” Tyler Bertuzzi said. “Some of us were just talking and said it kind of felt like a playoff game — a lot of big blocks, simple, hard plays — that’s what we have to do to win here. We have to keep it going.”

Bertuzzi set up new teammate Robby Fabbri twice. It helped they know one another from their junior days with Guelph, but what really made the difference is Fabbri brings a shot mentality to a team that needs it. Both of his goals were one-timers. The former first-round pick was acquired Wednesday night in the hopes he could recapture the form he showed four years ago as a rookie, when he scored 18 goals with the St. Louis Blues.

In conversations he had with Fabbri's former coaches, coach Jeff Blashill kept hearing the same thing: Use the guy on power plays. Blashill put Fabbri with the Dylan Larkin power play unit, in place of Taro Hirose. Hirose makes nifty passes, but he doesn’t have a shot like Fabbri. The Wings need more shooters on the power play, and at even strength.

More: How are Detroit Red Wings prospects faring? Europeans are leading the way

“We were just talking in the room,” Blashill said. “For the season right now, I think we’re three percent below the average of shooting percentage. We’re last in the league in shooting percentage. He looks like a guy that can score. He did a great job as the bumper finding the open space. It’s a good start. Do we expect two goals every night? No, but I thought he played hard, he did the things he has to do to be successful.”

It was an easy decision for Bertuzzi to pass to Fabbri.

“He was good all in juniors, he was good in St. Louis,” Bertuzzi said. “He’s going to be good with us here and I think all the guys are happy to have him. He’s a good shot, he works hard, and fits in well in here.”

Fabbri, 23, is try to reignite his NHL Career after two ACL injuries to the same knee. Friday’s debut was a shot in the arm.

“It definitely helps with the confidence,” he said. “Overall just to see the way the boys played, that really helps coming in.”

The Wings had been on a four-game losing streak during which they were outscored 22-5. There were stretches where they gave up multiple goals in a matter of a handful of minutes. They melted, as Larkin put it after the 6-1 loss to Nashville.

More: Detroit Red Wings mailbag: Don't look for top prospects to bail team out anytime soon

Larkin made sure that didn’t happen against the Bruins. The Wings fell behind by a goal a minute into the game, but he scored to tie it before two minutes had passed. It was like hitting reset.

“The answer by Larkin after we got down 1-0 was a huge, huge thing,” Blashill said. “It allows you to just keep playing. Momentum is such a huge thing. That goal allowed us to basically start the game even again. When you give up the first shot and it’s in your net, it’s a hard thing. We did a good job answering.” 1160728 Detroit Red Wings Golden Knights at Red Wings Faceoff: 5 p.m. Sunday, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit

TV/radio: FSD/97.1 Dylan Larkin's determination keyed much-needed victory over Bruins Outlook: Vegas (9-5-3) is looking like one of the powers in the Western

Conference. It has the second-ranked penalty kill in the NHL (89.2 Ted Kulfan percent). Right wing Mark Stone (18 points), center William Karlsson (16 points), and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (9-3-1, .924 save percentage) lead Published 5:27 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2019 a deep, talented roster.

Detroit — One play early in Friday’s game went a long way toward Detroit News LOADED: 11.10.2019 stopping what was a disheartening losing streak for the Red Wings.

Dylan Larkin was determined to not have the contest against Boston go down the road 12 of the last 13 Wings’ games had gone — the road of another defeat.

Larkin’s end-to-end rush, capped by a nice wraparound goal, erased the sting of a first-minute goal by Boston, and got the Wings — and Little Caesars Arena — back into the game.

“I just wanted to get the puck and put it in the net,” Larkin said after Saturday’s practice. “I was more driven (than anything). I did have a good feeling when I picked up the puck. Right when I got it, I felt like I was going to make something happen.”

Coach Jeff Blashill said after the 4-2 victory Larkin’s goal was a pivotal play, a much-needed play considering the way things had been going for the Wings lately.

After Larkin’s goal, the Wings settled down, played one of their best all- around games in weeks — helped by two power-play goals by newly acquired Robby Fabbri — and earned a badly needed win.

“It’s huge,” Larkin said of the victory. “Just to get that, the way we played is the way we need to play. It was an emotional victory.

“We need channel that into (Sunday against Vegas), tomorrow is a new game. Just because we won the last game doesn’t take anything for granted, so we’re going to have come out with the same intensity and energy we did (Friday).”

Fighting spirit

Defenseman Filip Hronek is known for his in-your-face style and competitiveness but not necessarily fighting.

Hronek got into his first NHL fight Friday against Boston’s ultra-pest Brad Marchand.

Frankly, it surprised Hronek it got that far.

“I was surprised he dropped (his gloves),” Hronek said. “I don’t know, I just looked at him and he dropped (the gloves). If he tries to (throw first punch), why shouldn’t I respond?”

Hronek’s teammates felt his willingness to battle Marchand was another huge, positive development in the victory.

“It was clear that line (the high-scoring Patrice Bergeron line) was frustrated and Fil and Nemo (Patrik Nemeth) were going against them all night and didn’t give them much," Larkin said.

“That’s the way he (Hronek) has to play and he’s willing to play like that. It’s great to see a young player coming into our lineup and make an impact in all facets of the game. He battles every night.”

Injury update

While forward Luke Glendening (hand) appears to be progressing toward a return soon, it sounds like defenseman Danny DeKeyser (lower body) remains some time away.

DeKeyser has missed nine games since last playing Oct. 22 in Vancouver.

“I can’t remember what the original time frame was, but it’s the same,” Blashill said. “He skated a little bit on his own, but I don’t expect him to be back anytime soon.”

Glendening is skating with the team but still is limited with his shooting and stickwork.

Both players were projected to be gone approximately a month. 1160729 Detroit Red Wings

How to watch, listen and stream Detroit Red Wings vs. Las Vegas Golden Knights

By Lauren Williams

The Red Wings took an early lead in the first period of Friday night’s action against the Bruins and never looked back. Detroit downed first- ranked Boston 4-2. Anthony Mantha solidified the Red Wings win when found the back of an empty net with just under two minutes left in the third period.

Now Detroit hosts the Golden Knights who are facing their own struggles on the ice.

The Golden Knights, who lost to Washington Saturday, are 9-6-3 on the season.

The Red Wings (5-12-1) and the Golden Knights (9-6-3) face off at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 10, at Little Caesars Arena.

Related: Red Wings’ Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi re-establish connection

Related: Robby Fabbri scores twice in victorious Red Wings debut

Related: Red Wings hope Robby Fabbri provides offense, helps power play

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Red Wings Affiliates: Detroit (WXYT-97.1 FM/ 1270 AM); Ann Arbor (WTKA-1050 AM); Grand Rapids (WTKG-1230 AM); Kalamazoo (WQLR- 1660 AM); Saginaw (WSGW-790 AM)

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Michigan Live LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160730 Detroit Red Wings that line and not backing down, hopefully every time we play those guys, we get them off their game.”

Said Bertuzzi: “Good for him for standing up for himself. Obviously, it got Red Wings’ Filip Hronek developing knack for agitating opponents us going on the bench for a guy like that, a skilled defenseman, to drop his gloves and fight him, it showed a lot of character.”

Blashill likes Hronek’s mental makeup. Posted Nov 09, 2019 “When I teach him or yell at him or talk to him or whatever approach I By Ansar Khan take, he kind of takes it,” Blashill said. “He goes on the ice and he does what he thinks is right. That’s a great attribute.”

DETROIT – Opponents probably see Filip Hronek as a skilled European defenseman with a good shot and offensive instincts. Michigan Live LOADED: 11.10.2019 Dylan McIlrath saw another side of Hronek when they were teammates in Grand Rapids, elements the young defenseman has shown at times with the Detroit Red Wings: being abrasive, hard to play against and not backing down.

It led to Hronek’s first NHL fighting major in Friday’s 4-2 victory over the Boston Bruins, when he got under Brad Marchand’s skin.

“The star players hate him, which is a good quality to have,” McIlrath said. “If he can get a matchup, him and Marchand going at it, that’s great. Obviously, we want him on the ice because he’s an amazing player, but he has a knack for getting under people’s skin and that can help him in the future.

“When he’s hard on star players, they don’t like that, and they want to retaliate. If that can get us on the power play, that huge. Obviously, you got to tote the line because if he’s taking bad penalties, that’s not good, but I think he’s learned throughout his young career to manage it well.”

Being a pest isn’t what’s going to lead to a long and productive career for Hronek, the 53rd selection in the 2016 draft. His solid two-way play is why he is leading the Red Wings in average ice time (22:33), playing in all situations (power play, penalty kill) and often matched up against the opposition’s top line.

“It’s nice having coaches’ trust and I can play a lot,” Hronek said. “It’s helped me with confidence.”

Hronek, who turned 22 on Nov. 2, has come a long way in a short time. He was playing in the AHL as recently as mid-February.

“It’s a testament to him that when he got sent down (early last season), he didn’t pout, he got better,” coach Jeff Blashill said.

Hronek is the team’s highest-scoring defenseman (three goals, eight points) and is the only player on the club averaging more than two minutes on both the power play (2:52) and penalty kill (2:28). Part of that is due to injuries to Danny DeKeyser and, previously, Mike Green.

“He’s been thrust into probably too much ice time … he’s got to bite off tons of minutes and hard minutes, but he’s doing a good job with it,” Blashill said. “I don’t think the last few games have been quite as good as they were before, but I thought (Friday) he kind of answered the bell. He’s out there against one of the best lines in the league.”

The Red Wings did a good job against the line of Patrice Bergeron, David Pastrnak and Marchand, who saw a lot of the Dylan Larkin line, with Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi, and the Hronek-Patrik Nemeth defense pairing.

A frustrated Marchand initiated a fight with Hronek midway through the second period.

“I was surprised he dropped (his gloves). I just looked at him and he dropped it,” Hronek said. “It wasn’t my goal (to fight), but (frustration) is probably what happened. He couldn’t handle it, or I don’t know.

“If he tries to hit me, why shouldn’t I respond? If I’m on the ice, I try to do my best (to) get under someone’s skin.”

Teammates liked seeing Hronek respond to a player who has a reputation for crossing the line.

“I think it was clear that line was frustrated, and Fil and Nemo were going against them all night and didn’t give them much,” Larkin said. “That’s the way he has to play and he’s willing to play like that. I think it’s great to see as a young player coming into our lineup and make an impact in all facets of the game. He battles every night and makes smart plays with the puck. To see him set the tone for the future against Marchand and 1160731 Detroit Red Wings Bernier made a tremendous glove save on Pastrnak from the doorstep with 1:07 remaining in the second period to preserve his team’s lead. Mantha’s empty-net goal sealed the outcome with 1:28 remaining in the third. Red Wings’ Robby Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi re-establish connection “Everyone was on the same page. Everyone worked hard,” Bernier said. “Even in the third, we didn’t panic.”

Posted Nov 09, 2019

By Ansar Khan Michigan Live LOADED: 11.10.2019

DETROIT – Perhaps a change of scenery will re-ignite Robby Fabbri’s career. Maybe an offensive spark from a newcomer can help right the Detroit Red Wings to at least a point where they’re consistently competitive.

Friday’s 4-2 victory over a strong Boston Bruins team provided some positive energy for a team experiencing its worst stretch in years.

Fabbri, acquired from St. Louis on Wednesday, scored a pair of power- play goals set up by Tyler Bertuzzi, his former junior teammate at Guelph (OHL). Jonathan Bernier made 26 assists and assisted on pair of goals. The Red Wings ended a four-game losing skid, playing physical and competing harder than at any time during their 1-11-1 slide.

The Red Wings (5-12-1) began the night last overall in the NHL, but Bertuzzi said the game has a playoff feel to it. The Bruins are 11-3-2.

“A lot of big blocks, simple, hard plays and that’s what we have do to win,” Bertuzzi said. “I thought we were good on the forecheck, that was our big key going in. Get on pucks and crash the net and a lot of big hits.”

Fabbri gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 11:49 of the first period and scored what proved to be the game-winner at 1:30 of the second. The Blues’ first-round pick in 2014 (21st overall) whose career was sidetracked by two major knee injuries, had just one goal in nine games for St. Louis.

“It definitely helps with the confidence,” Fabbri said. “Overall, just to see the way the boys played, that really helps coming in.”

Fabbri wants to regain confidence with his shot, which was difficult to do being a frequent healthy scratch and averaging less than 10 minutes for the Blues.

“This is what I want to get back to,” Fabbri said.

The Red Wings started the night ranked last in the NHL in goals per game and 28th on the power play.

“We’re last in the league in shooting percentage. He looks like a guy that can score,” Blashill said. “He did a real good job with it. He scored in the past. He did a great job as the bumper (roaming the slot area), finding the open space, so it’s a good start. Do we expect two goals every night? No. But I thought he played hard, did the things he needs to do to be successful.

“Every coach I talked to that had Robby said he’s an excellent power- play player, without a doubt, and he showed that today.”

Fabbri played the wing on a line with Valtteri Filppula and Andreas Athanasiou five-on-five and played with the top line of Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Bertuzzi on the power play.

“The power play was moving it well, which opened me up in the middle there, and (Bertuzzi) made two great passes,” Fabbri said.

“It brings back old memories. It was good to be back with him.”

Said Bertuzzi: “It didn’t take long for our connection to come back. He was good all in juniors, he was good for St. Louis when they won the Cup and he’s going to be good with us here. I think all the guys are happy to have him. He has a good shot, he works hard, and he fits in well.”

Blashill said he told Fabbri to play as tenacious as he did when he came into the league.

“Sometimes when you have injuries, you back off a little bit and you can’t afford to do that,” Blashill said.

Larkin scored a key goal at 2:41 of the first period to respond to David Krejci’s goal at 1:09. The Red Wings’ top line did a good job containing Boston’s powerful line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak, who had 15 goals in 15 games. 1160732 Edmonton Oilers a righty and he came on my left shoulder and I caught him,” said Chiasson.

CATCHING A BREAK: At some point Draisaitl will get the love he deserves outside Edmonton Gaetan Haas continues to be productive in little ice-time. He’s only averaging nine minutes even but he has three points in his 11 games and got his second deflection goal against the Devils. It looked like he may Jim Matheson, have damaged his left knee badly when he crashed into the boards in the second period but came back to score. November 9, 2019 5:57 PM MST “Looked like an accordion going into the boards,” said head coach Dave

Tippett. “He keeps growing his game. He’s getting better in the faceoff GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Senators weather storm to beat circle (6-3 vs the Devils). Looks like he has the puck more, more in tune Hurricanes with the game. His game’s going in the right direction.”

Edmonton Oilers winger Leon Draisaitl has 64 goals in his last 100 This ’n that: Riley Sheahan was very strong on the draws, winning 13 of games, which puts him in the same stratosphere as Alex Ovechkin, who 19 against the Devils and took up Darisaitl’s short-handed minutes as a has the same 64 in 98 for the Washington Capitals. left-shot C. He got 3:04 SH, Draisaitl only seven seconds…Joel Persson, after being a healthy scratch against St. Louis, had his first two NHL Ovie has affection from fans in every rink in the NHL. Draisaitl can feel points against the Devils. “We were hoping for a bounce back game and the love here, obviously, with all the fans wearing his 29 jersey. But his he was efficient, won some battles being on the right side of the puck,” feats have been slow to catch on elsewhere, which seems crazy to Oilers said Tippett…Rookie defenceman Ethan Bear got to 20 minutes against teammate Alex Chiasson who played with Ovechkin when the Capitals the Devils, the 13th time in 18 games he’s done that…McDavid’s 19:17 in won the Stanley Cup in 2018. the New Jersey game was his lowest ice-time since Philadelphia Oct. 16…Mikko Koskinen (6-1-1 record, .927 save percentage) now has five “In my opinion the three most underrated players in the league are Leon, career shutouts, four at Rogers Place (Chicago, Dallas, Calgary, Devils) (Sasha) Barkov in Florida and I thought (Ryan) O’Reilly the other day and one on the road in Columbus. “The Devils had one great chance when St. Louis was here was just deadly, such a smart player,” said (Taylor Hall breakaway) but it went off the cross bar. Didn’t have to make Chiasson, when asked by The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman how outstanding saves but he was positionally sound,” said Tippett. Will he good he thought Draisaitl was. come back with Koskinen in Anaheim off his shutout? Or go with a rested “Those others are great players but Leon has more upside. When he Mike Smith? decides to play … he’s big, physical, there’s his skating. His skill takes over and he sees the play two or three moves before. I mean, he’s as good a passer as I’ve ever played with. Just as good as Nick Backstrom Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 11.10.2019 in Washington. He was the best passer I’ve played with, by far,” said Chiasson.

“For me, Leon is top 10, maybe a top 5 player in this league.”

“Leon can shoot (as well as pass, 14 goals, 16 assists) and he works on lots of different things in practice. He’s hungry and he wants to be THE player,” said Chiasson.

“Fifty goals last season and he didn’t make the first or second all-star team. Insane.”

Ovechkin was first-team and Brad Marchand second, Johnny Gaudreau was third. Some voters had Draisaitl as a centre, others as McDavid’s LW, which splintered his vote totals a bit. But he was fourth on LW, even with 50 goals and 55 assists. Somehow Ovechkin, with one more goal (51-50) and 16 fewer points, got 459 total votes and Draisaitl 315.

No love there.

Draisaitl, for him, had an off-night against the New Jersey Devils Friday with just one goal on a breakaway tuck on Cory Schneider. He only had three shots, but he was 8-2 on faceoffs. Because the Oilers had the game under control after 40 minutes, he only played 18:49, the lowest ice-time of the season. He’s had eight of his 18 games 25 minutes or more.

“Leon didn’t play as much as he and Connor (McDavid) usually do, around 25 minutes. There’s lots on their plate. For Leon, if his legs aren’t there, he can slow it down to his pace,” said Chiasson.

Draisaitl’s 14 goals in 18 games are the most since Alex Selivanov, once son-in-law of Phil Esposito, in 1999-2000 and his 30 points are most in 18 games since Wayne Gretzky had 30 in 13 games in 1987-88.

Draisaitl has 135 points in his last 100 games over the past season and a month.

McDavid has 143 points in his last 96 games over the same span.

ABOUT THAT COLLISON

Chiasson knocked Devils first-pairing defenceman Sami Vatanen out of the game Friday with a hit along the boards before the game was eight minutes old. It wasn’t intentional.

“The puck was coming down the wall and I tried to bank it between my skates and I don’t think he protected himself. I didn’t mean to do that. I’m 1160733 Edmonton Oilers glove stop in the St. Louis win Wednesday, one of his 24 shots in his 15 games.

“With the year I had last year, I knew expectations were going to be high. Chiasson finally leaves the rink with a smile on his face I thought the way camp started and then being sick … I was trying to prove I could get on the board quick. But I didn’t score for 14 games. I’ve looked at it and want to get back to what’s made me successful, how I’ve stayed in this league, how I’ve survived,” he said. Jim Matheson, For now, Nugent-Hopkins has two big bodies on the wings on the Oilers November 9, 2019 3:24 PM MST second line but Joakim Nygard (ribs) could be ready for the Anaheim Ducks game Sunday, and he would offer up more foot-speed. Seems unlikely Tippett would break up Chiasson and Co., for now. Pretty much everybody figured Alex Chiasson’s 22 goals last year was a one-off. Nygard might take Markus Granlund’s spot on LW with Gaetan Haas and Patrick Russell. And now that he’s got his one, he’s off the witness stand, no more questions about whether he feels guilty for not helping out Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid with some supplementary scoring. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 11.10.2019 When he got his stick on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ shot on a power play in the third period Friday and the puck skipped past New Jersey Devils goalie Cory Schneider, his smile would have lit up Candy Cane Lane. Last year it came so easy; after his first 15 Edmonton Oilers games, eight goals.

He finished with his first 20-goal season. This year, lots of “oh, man, where’s the net?”

There was no outside pressure from fans, but inside, his gut was churning. If he’s going to be a second-liner with Nugent-Hopkins or find a spot on the third as a right-winger, he needs to score.

“I started against the Devils, in my mind, saying, ‘I have three (goals) right now. Just play like I have three,’’ said Chiasson, trying to alleviate the shoulda, coulda, wouldas.

“So now I have one.’’’

“Right spot at the right time.”

He looked like last season’s Chiasson against the Devils. Big body around the net.

“I thought I was around it the whole night, the puck was following me. When I’m playing that way, good things usually happen,” said Chiasson.

He only played 14 minutes against the Devils but he led the Oilers with five shots and another was blocked.

“You could tell there was a hunger around the net, he was whacking and chopping at pucks. The frustration just got to the point where he wasn’t going to be denied. He’s a guy who’s usually a streak-scorer so hopefully that’s a good sign of things to come,” said head coach , who’s been very patient with Chiasson, giving him lots of rope.

Chiasson’s mum Marilyn had flown in from Quebec to see her boy in a home game, then get on the charter to Anaheim Saturday for a Sunday game there and Tuesday in San Jose. “It’s hard in the season to see family, obviously I’m out west, and our schedule so far has been, like, two at home, three on the road … and she was pushing for a mom’s trip.”

Marilyn likes hockey, but not like Alex’s dad, who loves it.

“When I see my mom we don’t talk hockey … she doesn’t care about my goal-scoring. If I need to chat, she’s there to pick me up and make me feel good about myself,” said Chiasson.

“Grateful for that relationship. Different when I talk to my dad. He’s a lot more honest, nah, just kidding,” he said.

“Moms love you good or bad,” laughed Tippett.

Chiasson has looked out of sync in several games in the first five weeks, either a step behind or going where the puck isn’t. Guys in slumps are always in that mode. He’s been tried here, there and everywhere by Tippett, trying to get him going after he missed the first three of the first four Oilers’ games because he was sick.

“It’s seemed like I was two seconds ahead of a play or two seconds behind it in games and it finally feels like I’ve got the timing right. Before I scored, I had a one-timer from the slot and those are the types of plays I can make. Getting into a spot where there’s no sticks,” he said.”

But he’s also had some head-slapping-you’ve-got-to-be-kidding moments with goalies making saves. Like Jake Allen reaching back for a dazzling 1160734 Florida Panthers [Popular in Sports] Hyde: Dolphins’ bold plan threatened by other teams’ stupidity | Commentary »

Eberle, back after missing 10 games with an injury, went down on his Panthers stymied by Isles goalie Greiss, high-stick call on Barkov goal in knee and used his chest to block a shot by Brett Connolly in front with third period 8:15 remaining in the middle period.

"In my head I was just thinking there's no way we were losing this game," Eberle said. "That probably was my best save of my career. ... (Greiss) By VIN A. CHERWOO was, I think, the main reason we won today. He made some outstanding saves and full credit to him." NOV 09, 2019 | 5:47 PM The Islanders had a goal disallowed during a power play early in the first

because officials ruled Lee interfered with Bobrovsky, and replays Thomas Greiss came through with some big saves. Johnny Boychuk and showed Lee had his skate in the crease when he made contact with the Jordan Eberle had a couple key blocks when Greiss was out of position, goalie. and Scott Mayfield got the winning goal for New York right after Florida Barzal then scored a goal that counted. He got a pass across the crease tied it in the third period. from Brock Nelson at the right side, paused to draw Bobrovsky to his The Islanders bounced back from a disappointing loss with a team side, and went to his left and put a backhander in for his team-leading victory. seventh at 5:40.

Greiss stopped 37 shots and Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist, The Panthers outshot the Islanders 14-7 in the first period, including an helping the Islanders beat the Panthers 2-1 Saturday for their 11th win in 8-1 margin over the final 6 1/2 minutes. Boychuk helped with a diving 12 games. block on Barkov's attempt with Greiss out of position with about a minute left. New York rebounded nicely after it blew a three-goal lead in the third period of a 4-3 overtime loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday night. NOTES: Barkov's goal gave Florida a power-play score for the fifth straight game. ... Barkov extended his goal-scoring streak to four games, "Last game was a tough last period," Greiss said. "So we wanted to win with four goals and seven points in the stretch. ... The Panthers lost a that one for sure and everybody battled hard, it was a good comeback." one-goal game in regulation for the first time this season, falling to 3-1-5 in such games. ... The Islanders improved to 10-0-1 when leading after [Popular in Sports] NBA enters equation when it comes to potential Heat two periods.... Islanders F Casey Cizikas missed the third period due to a sanctions for Dion Waiters » lower-body injury. The Islanders earned a point for the 12th straight game — a stretch that UP NEXT followed a 1-3-0 start and began with a 3-2 shootout win against the Panthers at Nassau Coliseum on Oct. 12. Panthers: At the New York Rangers on Sunday.

"You're going to win games different ways," New York coach Barry Trotz said. "We had been doing it with a lot of people out. (Today) we won it with excellent goaltending, good special teams and some high Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.10.2019 commitment in all those areas."

Aleksander Barkov scored for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 34 saves. The Panthers lost in regulation for just the second time in 13 games (6-2-5).

"It's frustrating we didn't get more than one goal," Barkov said. "We had chances ... a lot of chances to score a goal. That helped us and gave us a chance to win the game but we just didn't score enough goals."

Barkov tied the score with a power-play goal at 6:12 of the third, beating Greiss from the right side for his fourth.

Mayfield regained the lead for New York just 38 seconds later with a shot from the right point that deflected in off Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman's stick.

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"We had the lead going into the third period, we didn't want to lose it there," Barzal said. "They got one back on the power play and we got one I think the next shift. It was a good response by our group. Shift after a goal is kind of huge."

A tripping penalty on Anders Lee gave Florida its fourth power play of the game and Barkov appeared to tie it again with 5:25 left. But the goal was disallowed because officials ruled he hit the puck with a high stick. The call was confirmed by a video review.

Bobrovsky was pulled for an extra skater with 1:40 left, but the Panthers came up empty the rest of the way.

"We had some tough luck," Panthers coach said. "Give (Greiss) a lot of credit."

Leading 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Islanders pressed to add to their lead in the scoreless second period with both goalies making some nice stops.

New York outshot Florida 19-8 in the period, including 9-1 over the first 5:15 and 6-0 over the final 5 1/2 minutes. Greiss made a nice left pad stop on Mike Matheson in front 5 1/2 minutes in. Barkov was stopped on a pair of shots about 45 seconds apart, and Greiss had a spectacular save on Mike Hoffman's shot from the right circle about seven minutes in. 1160735 Los Angeles Kings

Kings give up two power-play goals in 3-2 loss to Canadiens

By ASSOCIATED PRESS

NOV. 9, 2019 7:18 PM

MONTREAL — Shea Weber led by example for the .

The Montreal captain scored two power-play goals in the Canadiens’ 3-2 victory over the Kings on Saturday night.

“We know we haven’t been good enough here in the last little while,” Weber said. “We got to take a look in the mirror and we’ve all got to be better. I thought tonight we had a much better start and obviously you saw what a start can do.”

Nate Thompson also scored and made 31 saves. The Canadiens improved to 9-5-3 with their fifth victory in six games.

Blake Lizotte scored his first NHL goal, Anze Kopitar also connected, and Jonathan Quick stopped 34 shots for the Kings. Los Angeles has only one victory in its last eight.

“We had a good second, we had a good third,” Kopitar said. “We’ve talked about this enough so far. I mean, it’s been 16 games in. You can’t play 40 minutes, or 45, or 55. You got to fight for the full 60.”

Weber opened the scoring midway through the first period. The defenseman fired a shot from the top of the faceoff circle that hit defenseman Matt Roy. As the puck landed back toward Weber, he blasted it past Quick.

“That was a weird one, definitely,” Weber said. “Just waiting for it to come back down. Got lucky on the timing.”

Thompson made it 2-0 15 seconds later, and Weber added his second in the period.

Kopitar scored early in the second on a power play. Lizotte pulled the Kings within one with 6:56 left.

“I’ve been dreaming about that one for a while,” Lizotte said. “I’ve had some good chances that haven’t gone my way but it really feels good to get that one.”

NOTES: Weber has 101 career power-play goals. Montreal was 2 of 6 on the power play. Los Angeles was 1 of 3.

LA Times: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160736 Los Angeles Kings

Shea Weber scores twice, Canadiens beat Kings

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PUBLISHED: November 9, 2019 at 8:59 pm

UPDATED: November 9, 2019 at 9:00 PM

MONTREAL — Defenseman Shea Weber scored two power-play goals in the Montreal Canadiens’ 3-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.

Nate Thompson also scored and Carey Price made 31 saves. The Canadiens improved to 9-5-3 with their fifth victory in six games.

Blake Lizotte scored his first NHL goal, Anze Kopitar also connected, and Jonathan Quick stopped 34 shots for the Kings. Los Angeles has only one victory in its last eight.

Weber opened the scoring midway through the first period. The captain fired a shot from the top of the faceoff circle that hit defenseman Matt Roy. As the puck landed back toward Weber, he blasted it past Quick.

Thompson made it 2-0 15 seconds later, and Weber added his second in the period.

Kopitar scored early in the second on a power play. Lizotte pulled the Kings within one with 6:56 left.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160737 Los Angeles Kings Mike Stothers on the team’s effort tonight and ability to keep fighting I couldn’t be more proud of the guys tonight. I mean, that was a hard-

fought hockey game from start to finish, two really good teams. You can ONTARIO 3, IOWA 2 – STRAND, LUFF, STOTHERS see why Iowa has the record they had coming into the game tonight, it’s a tough building to play in. They have a little bit of everything, they’ve got some speed, they’ve got some skill, they’ve got some toughness, they certainly finish all of their checks and you know what, their goalie is good. ZACH DOOLEY They make you work for every inch of the ice and I thought our guys NOVEMBER 9, 20190 battled right from the start. I thought it was a great team effort, from Cal on out.

On holding Iowa without a shot on goal for a 6+ minute span down the Faced with a 2-1 deficit heading into the third period, the stretch, and the overall defensive effort just kept working. Two goals from Austin Strand later, and the Reign came from behind to beat the top team in the Central Division, the Iowa It’s been a bit of a process for the guys, we’ve got some young players, Wild, by a 3-2 final. let’s not kid ourselves. We’ve got some young guys that are still kind of feeling their way around the league, especially on our backend. We didn’t It was a showing of resilience by the Reign, who were outplayed at times even have Stanton in the lineup tonight, and that’s your most veteran in the first 40 minutes but played one of their best periods of the season presence, so we’ve got some young guys but they really battled hard. in the third, as they scored twice and shutdown the Iowa offense when They were responsible for their positioning and making sure that they they needed to. With 6:30 on the clock, Iowa had 39 shots on goal on the weren’t losing assignments or coverage and our forwards have to help scoreboard. With 25 seconds left on the clock in the third, as Iowa took out too. I thought our forwards did a real good job of supporting our D. its timeout with an offensive zone faceoff upcoming, the Wild had 39 Cal played the puck real well tonight, he’s actually getting really good shots on goal. The Reign were efficient and hardworking defensively with puckhandling, so we might choose him as one of the guys for the down the stretch in the third period, completely turning the game around shootout, if we ever get to that. He’s helping move the puck along and in the victory. he’s reading whether we can go directly to the D, or we bypass the D to go to the forwards to get out of the zone. It’s nice to see, Zach. I’m trying Credit has to go out to Austin Strand, who responded to two games as a not to get too excited about our club, because, again, with the healthy scratch and returned to the lineup with a goal on Wednesday and inexperience we have, it’s one of those things where we’ve got to get that two huge goals tonight. Strand has worked hard to improve his game and consistency, right? We’ll see what happens tomorrow at three o’clock. getting shots through from the point – he got two through tonight at the right time. On Rasmus Kupari’s game since they met in late-October

Credit to Matt Luff for his assist on Strand’s game-tying goal and creating There’s a lot of things that I’m happy with, with Kopi. I like to call him Kopi chances throughout the evening, including a pair of posts in the second 2.0, so that’s a pretty lofty compliment to him, but he’s been doing a lot of period. Credit to Lance Bouma, who selflessly blocked a shot with five things well for us. He’s getting stronger on his faceoffs, which is great. I seconds left in the game to preserve the win. And credit to Cal Petersen, think he’s hit the post numerous times, which don’t register as shots on who was his usual self as he earned a victory in his home state of Iowa goal, but at least he’s putting some pucks to the net, he’s making some with 39 saves on 41 shots. plays and he’s actually doing a good job with supporting the middle of the ice for us as a centerman and it’s not always the centerman’s Ontario and Iowa will go at it again tomorrow afternoon in Iowa, 3 PM responsibility. When we go back on a breakout, he’s always supporting local time, 1 PM Pacific, as the Reign look to complete the sweep against the D, he’s there, he’s available for them in the middle of the ice, he’s the Central Division’s top team entering tonight’s action. doing a good job. I think it’s just a matter of him feeling a little bit more Injury Update comfortable and getting used to the size of the rink and how congested things can become and we’ve seen some real good bursts of speed out – Martin Frk missed today with a “mid-body” injury, and is considered of him as well. I think his game is coming along and he’s doing a lot of day-to-day. things well.

– Johan Sodergran took a puck to the “melon” in the third period tonight, On Lance Bouma’s late-game block and what he brings to the Reign as Bouma’s clearing attempt went onto the Reign bench. Sodergran left lineup the bench for a bit but returned and finished the game. The puck got him in the ear region, but he’s expected to be fine. He proved there why he’s a complete pro. He sacrificed his body and I think it was two shots he blocked there at the end. That’s what you do to Post-Game Quotes preserve a win. You know it’s going to hurt, you know it’s going to sting, Matt Luff on the Reign’s effort and never quit mentality but he didn’t want to let his teammates down and that’s why we’ve got some good veteran leadership. It’s a good example for the younger guys I think we believe in each and every guy that goes on the ice and that’s a of what it takes to not only become an NHL players, but he’s got big thing. Line 1 to Line 4, it doesn’t matter who’s out there. You look at aspirations of getting back to the NHL, so he’s going to do anything he Boko, Rymmer and Dots, or Boomer, they’re physical, they got in their can to help the team and that was terrific tonight. guys’ heads and they created chances for us too, so that always helps. At the end of the day, Strander with two big goals and another great night by Cal. Going into games, down goals or up goals, I think we believe in LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.10.2019 each other to close games down and win games.

On playing on different lines throughout the game

Yeah, I mean I don’t really care who I play with, everyone’s here for a reason. It’s pro hockey, everyone’s got great skill and works hard. It doesn’t, I mean it doesn’t matter how many times I’m put out on the ice, I’m going to work hard with whoever I’m with. It’s a win and I’ll keep playing as many minutes as [Stutts] wants and do whatever he wants.

On hitting two posts on the PP and the Reign’s overall special teams play

At the end of the day, we gave up two PK goals, which is tough, and I don’t think we got any on the power play today. You’ve got to look at that and that’s not good enough. You’re out there for a reason and you’ve got to shut them down or put one in the back of the net. I think, at this time, it’s kind of frustrating hitting this many posts in the past six or so games, but at one point they’re going to go in and I won’t be complaining then. Right now, it’s just focusing on perfection on both sides of the puck. 1160738 Los Angeles Kings McLellan, on Blake Lizotte finding his game: Blake has been fine all year. I do believe that the schedule played a

factor in his tenacity. I thought there’s a little bit of a fatigue factor. He NOVEMBER 9 RAPID REACTION: CANADIENS 3, KINGS 2 never played that many games against men like that. What are we, seven out of nine on the road? So that plays a factor, but tonight he had his legs, he had his tenacity, and I thought the two around him had the same qualities, so it was a good line. JON ROSEN McLellan, on his discussion with the officials after Clifford’s double-minor: NOVEMBER 9, 20190 In my opinion, and obviously my opinion didn’t count for very much, I

thought Clifford was attempting a backhand and he had a follow-through. Todd McLellan, on Blake Lizotte’s line earning time late in the game: Obviously, I didn’t count, so I guess it doesn’t matter.

Well, they deserved to be out there. I thought they were our most McLellan, on Matt Roy’s two saves on Shea Weber: effective line. They played the right way, they played consistently most of Matt Roy’s done that a lot for us this year. After the first two games of the the night and they deserved to be there, so it was an easy decision on season, he’s settled in and played extremely well. To put his body in front our behalf. There were some others that maybe would normally be out of a shot like that, incredinble, but again, Shea has that talent to knock it there, but they didn’t have as big of an impact on the game as those out of the air and get some velocity on it again. Give him that goal. Not three did, so reward for them. much we could do about it. It was the second one, as I said earlier, that McLellan, on what Montreal did well: really bothers me because we had addressed it and we’re better than that. Well, the second goal was the one that I think really hurt us. You look at the first, it was a skilled play by Shea. He’s that good a player, he can do Anze Kopitar, on the influence “special teams” played in the loss: it. There’s not much we could do about that one. The second one really I wouldn’t say necessarily ‘special teams.’ It was just our start in general. hurt us. We were still there for a little bit and in the game, and it was The first period, it was a sloppy period and you can’t spot a team three something we addressed in the pre-game, the pre-scout, and it was an goals. We had a good second, a good third, but we’ve talked about this error that was very costly. And then after that, we took a few too many enough so far. I mean, it’s been 16 games in, you can’t play 40 minutes penalties that took us out of any type of a forecheck element, but yet we or 45 or 55. You’ve got to play the full 60. fought with it and stuck with it. Still short, though. We’ve got to find a way to end up on the right side. Kopitar, on where the needle moved forward in the loss:

McLellan, on opening the second period with a good push: If we’re talking second and third period, I thought it was good. We were making plays, we were sharp, we were passing the puck the way we’re We needed to decide individually and collectively how the rest of the supposed to pass. That’s why the game was faster than it was in the first. night was going to go. It was the message to the players. It wasn’t anything about adjusting or changing the forecheck or doing anything Blake Lizotte, on the excitement of scoring his first NHL goal: technically. It was a decision we had to make individually, and then collectively how they wanted the next 40 minutes to go, and they chose I don’t know if it’s ‘excitement’ or if it’s just ‘raw emotion.’ I’ve been the right path. Still, we’re playing against a really good team. They get in dreaming about that one for a while here now, especially this year. I’ve the way, and I thought they took some momentum back in the third. had some good chances and they haven’t gone my way, but it feels really Again, we’re close, but close doesn’t get you wins, and we’re looking for good to get that first one in. a few right now. Lizotte, on the set-up for his goal: McLellan, on the role veterans have played in reinforcing the message, Wags made a good shot, Grundy actually made a good play out of the mid-game: corner to get it to Wags, and Wags threw it on net and it just happened to I think it’s two-fold. During the game it’s their actions that show just be in the air, and I was waiting there for it to get below the crossbar everybody else the direction that they want the team to go. So, if they’re and just got it on the heel of my stick. It happened to go in, so it feels committed to doing things right and pushing the team and making good. everybody follow, then they’re doing it the right way. They’re still going to Lizotte, on providing energy: make mistakes, they’re not perfect. In the locker room they have to carry themselves with some confidence, which they do, both of those players. I’ve felt good for the most part. I think we’re 17 games in now. I’ve felt They’re often saying the right things, and the way they carried their good for the majority of the games, and I feel I can bring that to the table shoulders and their heads. We haven’t won as many games, obviously, every night and do well, so I try and bring that energy every night. Today as we’ve lost, and they have to hold their heads up when they know was definitely a good night for my line. I think Carl Grundstrom and they’re playing well and show confidence in the group. Austin Wagner played really well tonight as well. They had their legs. I thought we worked really well together tonight. McLellan, on whether the team gained momentum from killing the Kyle Clifford double-minor: Lizotte, on his line’s chemistry:

Well, it certainly could’ve gone the other way had we not, because the Wags and I obviously play with speed, and Grundy’s not slow by any game was teetering right there. It was a good kill, Quickie made some means. He’s a big playmaker. I absolutely love playing with him. He’s good saves. Found a way to get out of it, and then I thought we settled in hard in the corner, he wins a lot of battles. All you can ask out of and started to play the way we needed to play. It had an impact on t he someone is just to work hard, right? Whether you make a play or not game. doesn’t matter to me. Obviously, I want to make plays, but if you’re working hard and you make amistaek, so be it, and I think Carl has just fit McLellan, on Jonathan Quick’s save on Tomas Tatar: really well with Wags and I, and that kind of showed tonight. It was an incredible save. Pretty simple answer – an incredible save, very Lizotte, on the feeling of scoring his first goal: quick legs. Having been out west for my whole career, I’ve seen that many times, so it’s not unexpected from him. Yeah, I was pretty caught up in the game, to be honest, as you’d expect. I wanted to tie that one up. Kind of disappointing not to be able to- McLellan, on whether this was a game the Kings could “build on”: [Reporter: You had a look there.] Yeah, and I missed the net. I need to I think it can. Every night we seem to find out a little bit more about our take onus on that. I need to hit the net. I had a grade-A chance at that group. I think we found a lne that plays with a lot of energy and passion time of the game. You need to bury that. I’m sure it’ll hit me soon here. It tonight, but when we’re doing that we often lose a player or two, so we’ve feels good to get that first one, for sure. [Reporter: And Wags fishing it just got to find some consistency. Keep players in the upper-lvevel of out for you, that’s very cool.] Yeah, him and I get along really well. He their own individual games so that we can collectively have a little more was just as pum[ped for me as any guy was. success. Lizotte, on the heritage of his last name: On that side, it’s German and French. I’m not sure- [Reporter: It goes back a long way.] Yeah, yeah. So, French side, and actually, I’m 50% Finnish, so I probably know my Finnish heritage more than my French. But, yeah I do have some French.

— With the loss, Los Angeles fell to 35-92-21 all-time against Montreal, a record that includes a road mark of 12-51-11. The Kings fell to 4-3-0 in their last seven road games in the series. These teams have one game remaining, March 17 at Staples Center.

— With the loss, Los Angeles fell to 0-4-1 against the Eastern Conference, 0-3-1 against the Atlantic Division, 3-2-1 in one-goal games, 1-8-0 when their opponent scores first, 0-7-0 when trailing after one period, 0-9-0 when trailing after two periods and 0-2-1 when outshot by their opponent.

— This is tied for the fourth worst start in club history with the 1986-87 and 2018-19 teams, which also went 5-11-1 through the first 17 games. They trail the 1969-70 team (7 points through 17 games), the 1971-72 team (7) and the 1985-86 team (9).

— Shea Weber’s first goal ended Jonathan Quick’s personal shutout streak of 130:36 at Bell Centre. Between a Saku Koivu goal with 23 seconds remaining in a 4-3 loss on January 31, 2009, and Weber’s first goal, Quick had recorded shutouts in the 2015-16 and 2017-18 seasons in his other two appearances in Montreal prior to Saturday’s game.

— The Kings attempted 54 shots (33 on goal, 12 blocked, 9 missed). The Canadiens attempted 64 shots (37 on goal, 15 blocked, 12 missed). Shea Weber led all skaters with seven shots on goal, while Drew Doughty, Alec Martinez and Blake Lizotte tied with a game-high four.

— Los Angeles won 33-of-64 faceoffs (52%). Adrian Kempe won 4-of-9, Michael Amadio won 6-of-12, Anze Kopitar won 13-of-19, Blake Lizotte won 6-of-13 and won 4-of-11.

Sunday, November 10 is a scheduled off-day for the team. Should the schedule change, it will be reflected upon the team’s arrival in Los Angeles.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160739 Los Angeles Kings

GAME 17: LOS ANGELES AT MONTREAL

JON ROSEN

NOVEMBER 9, 20190

Fox Sports Live Stream (requires subscription)

SOG: LAK – 32; MTL – 37

PP: LAK – 1/3; MTL – 2/6

First Period

1) MTL PPG – Shea Weber (4) (Max Domi, Jonathan Drouin), 10:13

2) MTL – Nate Thompson (1) (Arturi Lehkonen, Tomas Tatar), 10:28

3) MTL PPG – Shea Weber (5) (Jonathan Drouin), 16:48

Second Period

4) LAK PPG – Anze Kopitar (5) (Alex Iafallo, Blake Lizotte), 2:40

Third Period

5) LAK – Blake Lizotte (1) (Austin Wagner, Carl Grundstrom), 13:04

Los Angeles Kings (5-10-1) at Montreal Canadiens (8-5-3)

Saturday, November 9, 2019, 7:00 p.m. ET

Bell Centre, Montreal, QC

Referees: #2 Jon McIsaac, #16 Brian Pochmara

Linesmen: #78 Brian Mach, #65 Pierre Racicot

Fox Sports West, FOX Sports GO, LA Kings Audio Network, Hockey Night in Canada

LAK starters: G Jonathan Quick, D Alec Martinez, D Drew Doughty, LW Tyler Toffoli, C Anze Kopitar, RW Jeff Carter

LAK scratches: F Trevor Lewis, D Kurtis MacDermid, F Nikolai Prokhorkin

MTL starters: G Carey Price, D Ben Chiarot, D Shea Weber, LW Jonathan Drouin, C Phillip Danault, RW Brendan Gallagher

MTL scratches: D Mike Reilly, D Christian Folin, F Jordan Weal

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160740 Los Angeles Kings Via Eric Engels of Sportsnet: That meant five to six training sessions a week throughout the entirety of

the off-season with Dr. Chad Moreau, who runs Back To Function out of MCLELLAN WANTS “STEADY GAME, NIGHT-IN AND NIGHT-OUT” Lomita, Calif., near Hermosa Beach. FROM ILYA; RYAN/THOMPSON NOTES “We’d do a lot of competitions and challenges and he has a point system,” Thompson said of Moreau, who is the older brother of former NHLer Ethan Moreau. JON ROSEN “I think it created some competitiveness. I was working out with (Toronto NOVEMBER 9, 20190 Maple Leafs defenceman) Jake Muzzin, (Calgary Flames forward) Milan Lucic and (Kings forward) Dustin Brown, and there were some other

young guys with us. We were pushing each other, and I think having — The Kings are about to play their 17th game of the season. They’re those challenges throughout the summer really pushed us to be about to hear O Canada for the ninth time and for the seventh time after competitive and it definitely helped me.” The Star Spangled Banner is sung. By the end of the night, Los Angeles The evidence is plain to see. Through 15 games, Thompson has been will have appeared in all Canadian markets and on Hockey Night in flying up and down the ice. Canada for the third time, which is more than just a neat factoid. Being in Canada means more scrutiny and a greater mass of media, and, of course, large crowds when Drew Doughty speaks. LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.10.2019 “When you’ve coached in Canada for three or four years, this is a break,” Todd McLellan said, half-jokingly, of the scrutiny that isn’t as intense for a coach of an American team.

Really, this was planned as a half-story on Doughty and the media blitz that comes with playing nine games against Canadian teams in a month, but I’m going to wait on that story. Visits to all three Canadian Pacific Division teams will take place in December. And, truth be told, today he didn’t draw as big of a crowd as he had in Calgary, in Los Angeles when facing Calgary, or Toronto. He enjoys the larger crowds when they’re a byproduct of playoff runs or the team playing well, but “for the most part, I just like having four or five people like we have in LA,” he said.

There’s another way to draw good attention: Winning. Los Angeles hasn’t done much of that in Montreal over the last 53 years, using four wins in their last six visits to Bell Centre to up their all-time mark to 12-50-11. With Trevor Lewis’ injury providing an opportunity for Carl Grundstrom to step in, this game affords a slightly more junior lineup the ability to both measure themselves and make something out of the three-game trip.

“We’ve got young players,” McLellan said. “You think of Blake Lizotte and maybe some of the other players that are on this team right now that maybe haven’t played in these buildings, haven’t experienced the media, the atmosphere in the buildings, I think it’s really good for them to get out and grow up quick, and you do that making your stops through Canada.”

— McLellan wasn’t overly fond of several low forwards’ net play in the Ottawa game, and as the dust settled from all the line jumbling necessitated by Lewis’ departure midway through the first period, Ilya Kovalchuk was again skating with Michael Amadio and Kyle Clifford at the morning skate, similar to his deployment last season. Kovalchuk, who has two assists in his last eight games and three goals, nine points and a minus-10 rating through 16 games, has been earning heavier minutes under McLellan than he had under . How’s he been doing with it?

“Kovy, he’s a magnet for media, he’s a magnet for everybody because of his hall of fame career,” McLellan said. “Everyone wants him to be the 50-goal scorer that he was years and years ago – and we want that too – but he has to provide a steady game, night-in and night-out, and there’s been some nights where he’s done a really good job of that, there’s other nights where it gets away on him a bit. But you can take Kovy’s name out of it and talk about our team. Doesn’t that match? And we can’t lay anything on 17’s feet all the time. It’s the group as a whole, and we all have to take responsibility for our performance.”

— Meanwhile, Joakim Ryan will enter back into the lineup to the left of Matt Roy in place of Kurtis MacDermid. “It’s a little bit [because of the] opponent, it’s needing to get him back in and keeping him going, it’s the back-end of a roadtrip, fresh legs are important,” McLellan said. “Mac is coming out tonight. I don’t want to single him, but our whole low-end D, forwards, anything in and around our net was not very good in Ottawa. We made a lot of mistakes there, so we’re going to try and correct that a little bit. Joakie deserves the opportunity to try and contribute.”

— The Habs are happy with ex-King Nate Thompson, who has five assists in 16 games but more importantly has served as a good role model for younger players like Nate Suzuki. He’s also a step quicker, thanks in part to shedding some weight and working on his explosiveness. 1160741 Los Angeles Kings LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.10.2019

CATCHING UP WITH KYLE BAUMAN IN IOWA

ZACH DOOLEY

NOVEMBER 9, 20190

Good afternoon from Iowa, Insiders.

Took a few minutes to chat with Kyle Bauman earlier today after morning skate at Wells Fargo Arena. Bauman is a familiar name for Reign fans – He spent the entire 2018-19 campaign with Ontario after he made his debut at the tail end of the 2017-18 season, with a couple games in the 2018 Playoffs as well.

After spending the summer in Orlando (not a bad gig!), Bauman signed in late August on an AHL contract with Iowa. Though he had originally hoped to return to Ontario, Bauman has found a nice home with the Wild, a team that is atop the Central Division after a strong 7-2-2-1 start to the season. Bauman, who has played in every game to date with Iowa, excelled as a bottom-six center last season with Ontario, bringing a workmalike effort every night, contributing on the Reign penalty kill as well.

The always smiling Bauman was excited to catch up with Mike Stothers before Iowa skated today and has stayed in touch with several of his Reign teammates from last season. More from “The Baumer”, as Stutts nicknamed him last season, below –

Kyle on what he was up to over the summer

It was great, I feel like summer’s so short…it was actually a little longer because we didn’t make playoffs, but it was fun. [Reporter: Anything interesting that you did?] Not really, I just work at the rink and I ref in the summer time so it’s fun, I kind of live at the rink. My friends are all at the rink, playing men’s league with me.

On signing with Iowa and signing late in the offseason

I was kind of just waiting around trying to get a deal. I was hoping to come back to Ontario, it didn’t work out, but I got a text later in the summer saying that Iowa wanted to sign me. I knew a couple of guys, Gerry Fitzgerald was here last year, Mitchy [Zack Mitchell] was in Ontario last year with us, he played here and they had good things to say about it. They were really good last year, so I was obviously excited when I got the chance.

On staying in touch with old Reign teammates

We still text, Snapchats and stuff here and there. I think, whatever team you’re on, you’re always going to remain in contact with the guys after you’re gone, see how they’re doing.

On if it will be weird being on the other side of the ice in a Reign-Wild game

Yeah, I think before the game you kind of think about it a little bit more, a little more exciting, but once the puck drops it’s just another hockey game you’re trying to win. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing, if they’re your buddy or not, we want to win a hockey game and hopefully play well.

On playing for Mike Stothers and his relationship with him

It was awesome, I really love Stutts for giving me an opportunity to play last year. I have a lot of respect for him and his coaching style, I loved playing for him last year. It was just good to see him before our skate and I think he was happy for me, signing another deal in the American League, even if it wasn’t in Ontario. It was awesome seeing him, like I said I really enjoyed playing for him and his style of hockey. [Reporter: No gray areas with Stutts….] No, he has an open door. If you want to go talk to him he’ll tell you how it is, he’s not hiding anything from you.

On Iowa’s successful start and how he’s integrated into the Wild team

It’s been awesome. The group of guys here is great, they’re really welcoming and it’s always nice when you’re winning hockey games. It makes everything easier, it’s more fun coming to the rink, it’s just been great to be a part of it, try to be a good teammate and make an impact however I can. 1160742 Los Angeles Kings

PREVIEW – ONTARIO @ IOWA, 11/9

ZACH DOOLEY

NOVEMBER 9, 20190

GAME PREVIEWONTARIO REIGN

WHO: Ontario Reign (7-3-2-0) @ Iowa Wild (7-2-2-1)

WHAT: AHL REGULAR-SEASON GAME

WHEN: Saturday, November 9, 2019 – 5:00 PM PST

WHERE: Wells Fargo Arena – Des Moines, IA

TONIGHT’S MATCHUP: The Reign continue on their four-game road trip with the first of two meetings against the Iowa Wild. Ontario enters tonight’s action off of a split in Colorado, in which each team earned a 4- 0 victory.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: Cal Petersen looks set to make his 13th consecutive start in his home state of Iowa. The Waterloo native played both games here a season ago, and went 1-1. On defense, expect the same group of six as Wednesday in Colorado, with Ryan Stanton and Chaz Reddekopp out. No forward was on late this morning, though the same group as Wednesday is expected.

MY TWO CENT-RAL: Tonight’s matchup against Iowa marks the first game outside of the Pacific Division for Ontario this season. The Reign and Wild will meet four times in total, the only intra-divisional meetings for Ontario all season. A season ago, the Reign faced off against five Central Division foes and went 5-6-1 from 12 games played, including a 2-2-0 record against the Wild, 1-1-0 in Iowa.

ZERO DARK FORTY: Reign goaltender Cal Petersen posted his second shutout of the season on Wednesday in Colorado, as he stopped all 23 shots thrown his way. Petersen has started all 12 games Ontario has played this season, earning a 7-3-2 record to date. The Notre Dame product leads the AHL in several categories, including wins, and will matchup tonight against Kaapo Kahkonen, who ranks second with 6 victories this season.

A FRK’N GOALSCORER: Ontario forward Martin Frk tallied twice in Wednesday’s win over Colorado, including the game-winning goal, a power-play tally, in the first period. Frk leads all Reign skaters with seven goals and 11 points this season, which ranks him tied for eighth in the AHL in goals. The Czech Republic native has amassed 16 points (7-9- 16) in 17 games played against Iowa over the past three seasons.

STONE COLD AUSTIN: Coming off of a healthy scratch in two games earlier this month, defenseman Austin Strand returned to the Reign lineup on Wednesday and responded with his first goal of the season, which came in the second period, as well as a +2 rating on the evening. Strand has now collected four points (1-3-4) from 10 games played this season, to go along with a +3 rating.

BAUMS AWAY:Ontario will face off against a familiar foe this evening in Iowa forward Kyle Bauman, who played for the Reign in each of the last two seasons. Bauman joined Ontario late in the 2017-18 campaign and spent all of last season in the Inland Empire, as he amassed 20 points (6-14-20) in total from 73 games played. Bauman has appeared in all 12 Iowa games played so far this season and has totaled three assists.

SCOUTING THE WILD: Forward Gerald Mayhew (6-4-10) and defenseman Brennan Menell (1-9-10) lead Iowa in scoring this season with ten points apiece – Mayhew leads the team in goals and Menell is tied for second in the AHL in assists by a defenseman. Between the pipes, 2019 AHL All-Star goaltender Kaapo Kahkonen has led the way with a 6-1-0 record, a 2.13 goals against average and a .936 save percentage.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160743 Los Angeles Kings — For a while the Canadiens have been an up-tempo, pace-driven team, and that reputation still holds up.

“I was telling Blakey that our legs and our minds are going to get LINEUPS; DOUGHTY “READY TO GO,” BUT LEWIS OUT “PROBABLY challenged tonight based on their pace of play,” McLellan said. “They A LITTLE BIT LONGER THAN WHAT WE ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED” seem to do a very good job in the long game – end-to-end-type thing – and then they’re quick in the offensive zone to recover pucks, and it’s not one line. They set the bar and then they play to that bar, line-after-line. I’m looking forward to seeing our team play against them. We’re going to JON ROSEN get challenged with speed. We’ve got the Kid Line together tonight – NOVEMBER 9, 20190 that’s kind of what we’ve called them in the locker room. I want to see how they handle life in Montreal against the pace and see if they can provide us with some of their own.”

INJURIESMORNING SKATE NOTES The “long game” will be something to key in on. It’s not the most contemporary topic, given the challenges the team faced defending 200- INSIDERS. More to come, but several vital signs in advance of the LA foot plays came very early in the season when much of the play was still Kings’ road trip finale against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre being sort of being spit out by a random data generator. And, as (4:00 p.m. PT / FOX Sports West / FOX Sports GO / LA Kings Audio McLellan shared, the team has shown improvement in defending the Network / Hockey Night in Canada), beginning with the projected lineup: against those long chances, particularly so in the Toronto game that Toffoli-Kopitar-Carter opened the trip. But there were opponents like Edmonton and Vancouver earlier in the year that capitalized on Los Angeles experiencing some Iafallo-Kempe-Brown systematic growing pains in using the entire ice to generate speed Grundstrom-Lizotte-Wagner chances.

Kovalchuk-Amadio-Clifford “[Montreal] can go, and they have no problem taking off and using full ice. We’ll get tested there, so we’ll know a little bit more tomorrow or late Martinez-Doughty tonight on how we have or have not improved,” McLellan said.

Hutton-Walker — Lots more to come this afternoon. McLellan on Ilya Kovalchuk, an interesting chat with Drew , and a few additional comings-and-goings. Ryan-Roy Tonight’s officials are Jon McIsaac and Brian Pochmara and linesmen Quick Brian Mach and Pierre Racicot. Thanks as always for reading, Insiders.

Notes!

–The vitals: Jonathan Quick, 6-3-0 with a 1.88 goals-against average and LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.10.2019 a. 931 save percentage in nine career games against Montreal, left the ice first and will draw the start in goal. His two shutouts against the Canadiens have come in his previous two appearances at Centre Bell, where he’s accumulated a 120:23 shutout streak since January 31, 2009, when goals by Chris Higgins and Saku Koivu 90 seconds apart in the final two minutes of the third period served up a raucous home win during Drew Doughty’s rookie year.

Andre Ringuette/NHLI

Kurtis MacDermid and Nikolai Prokhorkin were grouped together during rushes at the morning skate and aren’t expected to play. Doughty, who was sore after getting tangled up with Thomas Chabot at the end of the second period on Thursday, acknowledged the benefit of yesterday’s day off and deemed himself fit to play in his club-record 427th consecutive game. “I originally was thinking it was just a little thing, and I was just worried I wasn’t going to be able to play the third period, and it felt fine out there,” he said. “I felt I had a really good third and a pretty good overtime. It felt good, ready to go, 100%.”

Trevor Lewis, on the other hand, is “not available tonight” with the lower- body injury that removed him from Thursday’s game after only three shifts. “We’ll evaluate him a little bit more when we get home, but it’s probably a little bit longer than what we originally anticipated, so he’ll need some time to recover,” McLellan said. No roster move has been made; Lewis has one goal and two points in 16 games.

— Their vitals: We’re assuming it’s Carey Price, who’s started 13 of 16 games this season, and is, you know, Carey Price. He’s 7-3-0 in 10 career starts against Los Angeles with a 2.53 GAA and .916 Sv%. Per Claude Julien, the Habs, who have been “flat” and “very ordinary” recently, have moved players around and should line up with forward groups of Drouin-Danault-Gallagher, Byron-Domi-Armia, Tatar-Suzuki- Lehkonen and Poehling-Thompson-Cousins with defensive pairings of Mete-Weber, Chiarot-Petry and Kulak-Fleury, via Arpon Basu. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (groin) isn’t quite ready to return, while 2015 Calder Cup champion Jordan Weal, who has two goals and three points in 10 games, will rotate out. Montreal is 1-1-1 in its last three but has beaten Toronto, Arizona, Vegas and Boston in the past two weeks.

Nate Thompson leading team stretch at #Habs morning skate #HabsIO pic.twitter.com/uXQvSqVBIB

— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) November 9, 2019 1160744 Minnesota Wild sense of being and tenacious. Every day he comes to the rink and works hard and pushes guys. He's an awesome addition.”

Although the team has found a knack on this trip for coming from behind Wild chirps Darcy Kuemper during comeback win over Coyotes – and playing its best when it’s chasing – the Wild realizes it must stop falling behind.

But maybe winning in this fashion will give the team the confidence it Sarah McLellan needs to string together a complete, 60-minute effort.

NOVEMBER 10, 2019 — 12:00AM “We showed some good character being able to come back and keep ourselves in the game,” Hartman said. “Duby made some great saves

there at the end of the first to keep us in it, and we battled back for him.” GLENDALE, Ariz. – After captain Mikko Koivu cut the Wild’s deficit in Star Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019 half, scoring on the power play in the second period, the TV camera caught Koivu yelling in the direction of Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper.

Winger Jason Zucker, who was in the celebration huddle with Koivu, also turned and shouted.

Yet another comeback, this one of the 4-3 variety Saturday against the Coyotes at Gila River Arena, was the most impressive feat of the night by the Wild.

But it wasn’t the only interesting one.

So was the commentary.

“I try and stay out of that for karma,” said defenseman Jared Spurgeon, who had a pair of assists. “But some guys had fun with it. But he was here for so long and everyone has a good relationship with him so once you get into the game, it’s pretty fun.”

Kuemper was drafted by the Wild in the sixth round in 2009 and went on to play 102 regular-season games with the organization from 2013 until 2017 when his standing with the team became shaky. Struggles opened the door for Alex Stalock to earn face time with the Wild and ultimately paved the way for a fresh start elsewhere for Kuemper.

After a stop in Los Angeles, the 29-year-old has resurrected his career in Arizona.

“I’m sure Kuemps would still like to beat us,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “His last year we probably weren’t as good to him as we should have been. But he’s gone and became one of the best goalies in the league numbers-wise. So he probably likes to beat us pretty good.”

Zucker said the talk with Kuemper was all in good fun.

“I’m a big fan of Kuemps,” Zucker said. “He’s a good friend of mine, so he’s been playing great here for these guys. I’m happy for him. But yeah, there’s always a little bit of jabbering going on.”

But not everyone felt the back-and-forth was an enjoyable accessory to the game.

“I don't want to say anything about that,” Koivu said. “To me it's not fun what happened. It is what it is. Leave it at that.”

Goalie Devan Dubnyk wasn’t paying attention to the chatter, and he looked locked in as the Wild rallied.

After the Coyotes scored their third and final goal, Dubnyk made 20 of his 32 saves consecutively to stifle Arizona’s attack.

“I started feeling a little more settled in the second,” said Dubnyk, who was making his first start in a week. “It's funny. When things are the way they are and then you sit for a couple [games], you start getting a little more antsy than you should be. I just told myself to wait for pucks and wait until the play develops and then go. Don't try to be guessing what's going to happen before it happens. I started to feel that even before they scored the third goal.”

It seemed fitting that winger Ryan Hartman was the one to clinch the result for the Wild after he was kicked out of the comeback attempt Thursday, getting a slashing major and misconduct for his whack against the Sharks’ Evander Kane in the third period.

Hartman also moved up the lineup to the third unit once winger Luke Kunin was ruled out due to food poisoning. His goal was his first game- winner with the Wild since he joined the team in the summer as a free- agent signee.

“He put it away there in the third for us,” defenseman Matt Dumba said. “That's awesome. He's a guy that's been great for us this year in the 1160745 Minnesota Wild

Wild-Arizona game recap

NOVEMBER 9, 2019 — 10:58PM

SARAH MCLELLAN

GAME RECAP

THREE STARS

1. Ryan Hartman, Wild: His third-period goal capped Wild’s comeback.

2. Jared Spurgeon, Wild: Set up two goals, including Hartman’s game- winner.

3. Vinnie Hinostroza, Coyotes: The winger scored to put the Coyotes up 3-1.

BY THE NUMBERS

2 First-period goals by the Coyotes.

60 Career power-play goals for captain Mikko Koivu, moving him into sole possession of first place in Wild history.

Star Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160746 Minnesota Wild NOTES: Arizona's Eric Comrie, who has been an emergency backup goaltender this season and has yet to appear in a game, was assigned to the AHL Tucson Roadrunners for conditioning purposes. ... D Jason Demers missed his second straight game due to a lower body injury, but Hartman, Wild rally for 4-3 win over Coyotes C Brad Richardson and D Jordan Oesterle were back in the lineup. Oesterle started and logged an assist. Richardson had missed seven

straight games with an upper body injury. ... Wild C Luke Kunin was JOSE M. ROMERO scratched due to illness just before the game, and F Marcus Foligno was also scratched with an injury. NOVEMBER 9, 2019 — 10:45PM UP NEXT

Minnesota: At Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday night. GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Minnesota Wild are showing signs of sorting things out after a rocky start to the season. Arizona: At Washington on Monday night.

Ryan Hartman scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period and Star Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019 Minnesota rallied with three straight goals to beat the Arizona Coyotes 4- 3 Saturday night.

Jared Spurgeon had two assists, including a long pass from the corner to Hartman at 4:54 of the third. Mikko Koivu, Kevin Fiala and Matt Dumba also scored, and Devan Dubnyk stopped 31 shots for the Wild.

"We showed some great character in being able to come back and keep ourselves in the game," Hartman said. "We were able to find a way, and I think that's been our identity, is finding ways to get ahead in these last couple of games and play ourselves into some opportunities for us."

Michael Grabner and Jakob Chychrun put Arizona ahead 2-0 in the first period and Vinnie Hinostroza also scored. Darcy Kuemper made 20 saves.

Minnesota has won two of three to improve to 6-10-1 while playing a road-heavy start to their schedule.

"We haven't won as many as we'd like to obviously," Wild coach Bruce Boudreau said. "But the attitude is always ... the next day they build themselves up and they compete."

Arizona has lost three in a row for the first time this season.

Grabner's fifth goal of the season came at 8:50 of the first period. Defenseman Aaron Ness floated a pass to Grabner, and the puck hit Grabner's skate as he tried to control it, sliding slowly past Wild defenders and Dubnyk.

Ness picked up his first point as a Coyote with the assist.

Chychrun scored 90 seconds later for his fourth goal of the season, the product of Nick Schmaltz digging the puck off the boards and a pass from Christian Dvorak.

The Wild rallied in the second period with three goals for a 3-3 tie at the second intermission.

Minnesota's Zach Parise hit the post on the Wild's only power play and Koivu fired in a rebound seconds later at 3:19.

The Coyotes went up by two goals again when Hinostroza sent in a right- handed wrist shot at 8:20.

Fiala stuffed in a loose puck at 13:04 to make it 3-2, and the Wild drew even with 49.7 seconds left right after Dubnyk denied Hinostroza on a breakaway. Jason Zucker passed the puck out from behind the Coyotes' net, and Dumba's slap shot was too fast for Kuemper.

"It takes more than just being a good team to win," Kuemper said. "You've got to stay detailed and remember it's little things that make us successful. It seemed like we went up a little bit and we got away from our game plan."

"We played the right way without the puck in the third period," Boudreau said.

Kuemper went to the bench with under two minutes to play, but the Coyotes couldn't force overtime despite a 6-on-4 situation for the final 12.9 seconds.

"We're giving up some chances in the slot that we didn't the first 10 or 11 games," Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet said. "We've got to buckle down here. We're in control of the game, and we just give them life. We need some individuals to play better.

"We've given away six points here this last week. It's disheartening," Tocchet added. 1160747 Minnesota Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019

More of the same: Wild falls behind, completes rally to beat Arizona 4-3

Wild drops Coyotes after trailing by two — twice.

Sarah McLellan

NOVEMBER 10, 2019 — 12:33AM

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Ryan Hartman was a bystander for the final leg of the Wild’s previous rally, a come-from-behind bid that faded into a one- goal loss Thursday in San Jose after Hartman was dinged with a questionable slashing major and misconduct against the Sharks’ Evander Kane in the third period.

Not only did killing off that penalty put the Wild’s offensive pursuits on hold, it also cost it a sparkplug in Hartman, who may have helped seal the deal.

But in his next chance, Hartman made up for lost time by clinching a 4-3 comeback win over the Coyotes on Saturday in front of 14,428 at Gila River Arena. The Wild twice erased two-goal deficits to improve to 2-1 with one stop to go on this four-game road trip.

“I tend to like to finish the game,” Hartman said.

College hockey, high school action and the NHL: We dig into every corner of the state of hockey's sport on our Puck Drop page. Tap here to get there.

Promoted to the third line after winger Luke Kunin was a late scratch with food positioning, Hartman capitalized on the opportunity — burying a crafty feed from the corner by defenseman Jared Spurgeon 4 minutes, 54 seconds into the third for his first game-winner with the Wild.

“It’s nice to finally put one in and contribute a little bit,” Hartman said.

His story of redemption, however, wasn’t the only one.

After giving up three goals before the halfway point, goalie Devan Dubnyk found a rhythm, turning aside 20 consecutive shots to give the Wild the steadiness it needed to claw its way back. Overall, Dubnyk totaled 32 saves. At the other end, Darcy Kuemper made 20.

“The last period [Dubnyk] looked like he found his way again,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “So I was really happy for him.”

Arizona opened the scoring when a pass by Aaron Ness bounced off Michael Grabner’s skate and rolled into the net at 8:50. By 12:40, it was 2-0. But an early power play in the second galvanized the Wild.

After winger Jason Zucker whiffed on the rebound from a Spurgeon shot, captain Mikko Koivu walked into the puck at 3:19. Arizona regained a two-goal cushion on a rising shot by Vinnie Hinostroza at 8:20, but the Wild again persevered.

“You don’t want to fall behind and be chasing the game all the time,” Koivu said. “I also think that we, for the most part, have been playing pretty good. We recognize that and can get wins in tough buildings, and we proved that again.”

Winger Kevin Fiala deked into an open net after gobbling up a rebound at 13:04.

And then with 50 seconds to go in the period, Zucker found defenseman Matt Dumba for a blistering slapshot that sailed by former Wild goalie Kuemper — whom the Wild said was chirping during the game, an exchange some players described as good-natured but one that bothered Koivu.

“To me it’s not fun what happened,” he said. “It is what it is. Leave it at that.”

That two-goal response set up a third straight tally from Hartman and like it did Tuesday in Anaheim, when the Wild came from behind to win 4-2, the team displayed a resiliency that is becoming a calling card for this group.

“We were able to find a way,” Hartman said. “I think that’s kind of been our identity.” 1160748 Minnesota Wild “It was pretty unceremonious,” Dubnyk said. “But that’s how you get games. It doesn’t matter which way.”

Injury update Now that he's scored, Wild winger Ryan Donato knows 'the floodgates Winger Marcus Foligno was sidelined Saturday because of a lower-body will open' injury. He is considered day-to-day. Victor Rask drew into the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the previous three games.

Sarah McLellan The Wild also played Nick Seeler, dressing seven defensemen, since winger Luke Kunin was out because he was ill. NOVEMBER 9, 2019 — 10:10PM Star Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019

GLENDALE, Ariz. – Wild winger Ryan Donato remembers 10 or 15 scoring chances already this season that made him go, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Instead of getting lodged into the back of the net, pucks have caromed off the post or been snagged by the goalie.

“I could be in a completely different place if a lot of those go in,” Donato said.

But it wasn’t until Thursday that Donato finally scored, his first of the season, to help extend the Wild’s comeback bid at San Jose before it eventually expired as a 6-5 loss.

And although it took until Game 14 for Donato to capitalize, he is hoping the tally will spark more offense as the 23-year-old settles into his first full season with the Wild.

“It was a relieving feeling,” Donato said. “I had a lot of weight lifted off my shoulders. I’m the type of guy hopefully if I get one, the floodgates will open from there, and that’s my mind-set.”

What coach Bruce Boudreau noticed about Donato’s goal, a top-shelf one-timer from the slot, was the conviction Donato had in his windup.

“That’s what we think we got in him,” Boudreau said. “We just obviously haven’t seen enough of it at this point.”

Aside from the limited production, Donato has also been a healthy scratch twice — a “tough” start to the season, he acknowledged. But he has tried to keep an upbeat attitude.

“I just want to be a guy that contributes positively to the team,” Donato said.

New voices for radio

There weren’t any new faces in the Wild lineup Tuesday, but someone that night in Anaheim was making his NHL debut.

Joe O’Donnell, the radio announcer for the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League, called his first NHL game during his 15th year in pro hockey.

“To get this opportunity to do regular-season games,” O’Donnell said, “it’s a dream come true honestly.”

With regular play-by-play voice Bob Kurtz working a reduced road schedule this season, the Wild has tabbed a few different voices to occasionally take over its radio booth — including Vikings play-by-play man Paul Allen, Bob FM’s Jim Erickson and studio host Kevin Falness.

O’Donnell was the first sub, handling the California and Arizona road trip. “It’s been awesome,” he said Friday. “Scoring goals is the best thing for a radio broadcast. The fact the team has scored nine goals now in two games has made my job easy. I’ve always sort of felt the games tell themselves. You’ve got a game, win or lose. I try to bring that enthusiasm and have that energy come across on the airwaves. Two fun games so far.”

After this assignment, O’Donnell will report back to Iowa. But just like the players he covers in the minors who are vying to get to the NHL, he is hoping to get another call-up.

“I would love it,” he said.

No.501

Goalie Devan Dubnyk made his first start in a week Saturday against the Coyotes, but he logged his 500th career game Thursday when he came on in relief of backup Alex Stalock. 1160749 Minnesota Wild he plays that way, he's at his best. I think he's done that consistently day in and day out."

NOTES: Penguins C Evgeni Malkin had two assists for the Penguins. ... Penguins rally, edge Blackhawks 3-2 in shootout Letang is dealing with a lower-body injury Sullivan described as "week to week." ... The Penguins scratched Letang, D Chad Ruhwedel and C Sam Lafferty. ... Chicago scratched D Adam Boqvist and C Kirby Dach. ... Chicago D Olli Maatta, who won a pair of Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh in WILL GRAVES 2016 and 2017, played 18:09. ... The Blackhawks went 0 for 2 on the NOVEMBER 9, 2019 — 9:55PM power play. ... The Penguins were 0 for 3 with the man advantage and haven't scored on the power play in 11 straight games. ... Pittsburgh's has killed off 14 consecutive penalties and 20 of their last 21 overall. ... Pittsburgh improved to 7-2-1 against the Western Conference. PITTSBURGH — The Penguins keep losing high-profile players and keep winning games. It's not ideal, but they'll take it — for now at least. UP NEXT

Jake Guentzel and Jared McCann scored in a shootout and the Penguins Blackhawks: Host Toronto on Sunday. ended a 10-game losing streak against the Chicago Blackhawks by rallying for a 3-2 victory Saturday night despite captain Sidney Crosby Penguins: Visit rivals the New York Rangers for the leaving in the third period with a lower-body injury. first time this season on Tuesday.

The Penguins were already playing without Kris Letang and Patric Star Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019 Hornqvist when Crosby gingerly made his way off the ice early in the third and did not return. Pittsburgh still improved to 4-1-1 in its last six despite spotting Chicago a two-goal lead.

Guentzel's eighth of the season late in the second period gave the Penguins life and Bryan Rust's fifth in six games since his return from injured reserve tied it midway through the third period. Guentzel and McCann both beat Corey Crawford in the shootout, and when Matt Murray turned away Alex DeBrincat, the Penguins had their first victory over Chicago since March 30, 2014.

"Shows a lot of character in this room, but we're not making it easy on ourselves," Rust said. "We do seem to have a pretty good leadership group in here and we do kind of know when to push a little bit harder."

Patrick Kane collected his sixth goal of the season for Chicago and used some nifty stickhandling to slip the puck by Murray in the shootout. Dominik Kubalik added his fourth for Chicago. Crawford made 29 saves but couldn't stop Guentzel's flip between the goaltender's legs or McCann's wrist shot in the shootout.

"Would've been nice to come away with that game, but they're a good team," Kane said. "They've been playing well all year. They had a big comeback against the Islanders the other night. Obviously, nice to get a point. Hopefully keep building on what we have going on here, but it would've been nice to have two."

Two days after storming back from three goals down in the third period to stun the Islanders in overtime, the Penguins followed a similar script to top the Blackhawks for the first time in more than five years.

Chicago squandered a chance to take the lead early in the second period when it failed to convert on an extended 5-on-3 power play. Kane had an excellent opportunity for the right circle but his one-timer missed everything, sailing over the goal, over the boards and into the netting.

Crawford turned aside Pittsburgh's surge after the teams returned to full strength, and Kubalik gave the Blackhawks the lead 7:09 into the second when Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin whiffed while trying to keep the puck in the offensive zone. The mistake led to a three-on-one the other way, with Kubalik taking a feed from Brandon Saad and slamming it past Murray for his fourth of the season.

Kane doubled Chicago's advantage just 98 seconds later, pouncing on the puck after teammate Calvin De Haan blocked a shot then racing the other way before beating Murray with a wrist shot at 9:47 to extend his scoring streak to a season-high five games.

Just as they did against the Islanders, Pittsburgh scrambled back. Guentzel drew the Penguins within 2-1 with 3:56 left in the second, though Malkin did much of the dirty work, swiping the puck near center ice, zipping down the left side and beating Slater Koekkoek to the post. Malkin then slipped a pass between Koekkoek and Crawford to a wide- open Guentzel racing down the slot. Guentzel easily put the puck into the open net for his eighth of the season.

Rust tied it when he finished off an extended Penguins' push by camping below the left dot and delivering when a pass from John Marino found his stick.

"The biggest thing for me that Rusty has shown since Day 1 of training camp is a sense of urgency," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "When 1160750 Minnesota Wild 1: Shutout in two career games for Coyotes goalie Darcy Kuemper vs. the Wild.

4: Wins in seven home games for the Coyotes. Devan Dubnyk starts, Marcus Foligno out for Wild vs. Coyotes About the Coyotes:

Before dropping its last two games, Arizona had won eight of its previous Sarah McLellan 10. Overall, at 9-5-2, the Coyotes are among the top teams in the Western Conference. Their goaltending is a major reason why. Former NOVEMBER 9, 2019 — 12:10PM Wild netminder Darcy Kuemper is 7-4 with a sterling 1.82 goals-against average and .937 save percentage. Up front, five players have reached

double digits in points for the Coyotes. Sparkplug forward Conor Garland GLENDALE, Ariz. – Winger Marcus Foligno won’t play in the Wild’s third leads the team in goals with 7. test on its four-game road trip Saturday against the Coyotes at Gila River Star Tribune LOADED: 11.10.2019 Arena.

Foligno is out with a lower-body injury.

Victor Rask will draw in amid Foligno’s absence, centering the fourth line. Without Foligno, the Wild will unite wingers Jordan Greenway and Luke Kunin with center Joel Eriksson Ek.

“I’m really excited about watching them play today,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. “I think they’ve been really good recently all of three of them.”

The first two games on this trip started out similarly for the Wild but ended differently.

Both times the Wild fell behind by multiple goals and although the team was able to rally Tuesday in Anaheim, coming back to win 4-2 against the Ducks, the Wild’s comeback bid fell short Thursday in San Jose.

After giving up an eyepopping four goals to the Sharks in the first period, the Wild chipped away at that deficit before eventually getting tripped up 6-5 to sit 1-1 on this Western Conference road swing.

“I think our starts have been pretty good as of late,” winger Ryan Hartman said. “I feel like we’ve been getting leads. We just didn’t come ready to play, and we put ourselves behind the eight-ball right from the start of the game. It’s tough to come back from any lead let alone four in this league. We didn’t put ourselves in a great spot to succeed [Thursday] night.”

Goalie Devan Dubnyk is scheduled to start against his former team, his first since suffering a 4-3 overtime loss to the Blues last Saturday.

Dubnyk did play in San Jose, making 17 saves in relief after taking over for the second and third periods once backup Alex Stalock was pulled.

“Sometimes these little messages work wonders,” Boudreau said. “Sometimes they don’t. It’s a fine line between showing the guy that you’ve had faith in for four years that he needs to work a little harder or a little better in certain situations.

“And it’s not just him. There are forwards who have been in the same situation. But you always come back to them because they’re the guys that have got you where you’ve been. It’s up to them, character-wise, you’d like them to say, ‘OK, I’ll show him.’ Rather than go the other way.”

Projected lineup:

Jason Zucker-Eric Staal-Mats Zuccarello

Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Kevin Fiala

Jordan Greenway-Joel Eriksson Ek-Luke Kunin

Ryan Donato-Victor Rask-Ryan Hartman

Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon

Jonas Brodin-Matt Dumba

Carson Soucy-Brad Hunt

Devan Dubnyk

Key numbers:

1-2: Record for the Wild last season vs. the Coyotes.

7-2-1: Showing for the Wild in its last 10 trips to Arizona.

9: Points for center Eric Staal during a six-game point streak. 1160751 Minnesota Wild “I don’t know,” Spurgeon said. “I thought he made some pretty good saves. (Jordan Greenway) had a great screen on Hartsy’s goal. I don’t even think he saw the pass. I thought he played really well.”

Wild trash talk their way to comeback win over Coyotes Just not well enough.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 11.10.2019

DANE MIZUTANI

November 9, 2019 at 10:41 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — A little trash talk goes a long way.

While nobody on the Wild will ever say for sure exactly what words were uttered to former teammate Darcy Kuemper on Saturday night at Gila River Arena, it sure looked like their chirps got to him in a 4-3 comeback win over the Arizona Coyotes.

It started midway through the game with the Wild trailing by a couple of goals. That’s when captain Mikko Koivu scored a big goal to cut into the deficit and then screamed a few choice words in Kuemper’s direction. Jason Zucker got into the action, too, chirping at Kuemper as he slowly returned to his crease.

“I’m a big fan of Kuemps,” Zucker said. “He’s a good friend of mine, and he’s been playing great here for these guys. I’m happy for him. There’s always a little bit of jabbering going on.”

It was clearly a little gamesmanship from both Koivu and Zucker, attempting to burrow their way into the subconscious of their former teammate, and it looks like it worked.

Not only did that sequence breathe life into the Wild, it appeared to plant a seed of doubt inside of Kuemper, as he struggled between the pipes down the stretch.

“Some guys had fun with it,” Jared Spurgeon said. “He was here for so long and everyone has a good relationship with him, so once we get into the game, it’s pretty fun.”

Not for everyone.

“I don’t want to say anything about that,” Koivu said. “To me it’s not fun what happened. It is what it is. I’ll leave it at that.”

Nevertheless, it seemed to spark the Wild to a comeback as they improved to 2-1-0 on the West Coast road trip. They finish up with Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings. Regardless of what happens in that game, the fact the Wild found a way to beat the Coyotes was huge.

Especially considering how the game nearly got away from them early on.

After a few big saves early in the first period, Devan Dubnyk fell victim to his latest fluky goal, as winger Michael Grabner tried to kick a pass to his stick and instead inadvertently redirected the puck slowly over the goal line.

It was a tough break for Dubnyk, though there wasn’t much he could do about the next goal, as defenseman Jakob Chychrun collected the puck all alone in the high slot and unleashed a blast to increase the lead.

While things looked grim for the Wild at that point, Koivu turned the tide in the second period, hammering home a rebound and screaming at Kuemper afterward.

That appeared to rattle Kuemper, and even though winger Vinnie Hinostroza restored the lead with a twisting wrist shot, the game still felt well within reach for the Wild, namely because Kuemper was on the other end.

Sure enough, Kevin Fiala cut into the deficit after Kuemper allowed a big rebound in front, and Matt Dumba blasted home a slap shot shortly after that to tie the game.

That paved the way for the third period, and Ryan Hartman put the finishing touches on the comeback midway through the frame, finishing off a beautiful no-look pass from Spurgeon for the go-ahead goal.

So do the Wild actually think they got in Kuemper’s head? 1160752 Minnesota Wild

Wild face off against familiar foe: Longtime backup Darcy Kuemper

DANE MIZUTANI

November 9, 2019 at 8:05 PM

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Longtime backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper needed more than a change of scenery. He needed a couple of changes of sceneries.

After serving as the backup to Niklas Backstrom, Josh Harding and Devan Dubnyk throughout his tenure with the Wild, Kuemper left the Twin Cities in free agency, signing a contract with the Los Angeles Kings. He was the backup there, too, and once again with the Arizona Coyotes following a rather inconsequential midseason trade.

But last season Kuemper finally got his moment in the spotlight. He started a career-high 55 games for the Coyotes, posting a 27-20-8 record and emerging as the go-to guy following an injury to usual starter Antii Raanta.

That was enough for Kuemper to earn a lucrative contract extension, and he hasn’t look back since. He entered Saturday’s game against his former team with a 7-4-0 record to go with an impressive 1.82 goals- against average and a .937 save percentage.

Did coach Bruce Boudreau think he had it in him?

“He was a pretty good backup with us,” Boudreau said. “I don’t think (his struggles) were the reason that he wasn’t back with us. He was going to be too expensive for a backup for what our salary cap was. I know (former general manager Chuck Fletcher) really liked him, and I’m sure they would’ve re-signed him if the price was right.”

Meanwhile, Kuemper’s former teammates have enjoyed his success from afar.

“You sometimes just need a little change of scenery,” Dubnyk said. “I always thought he was a great goaltender for us.”

Nobody knows the importance of a change of scenery more than Dubnyk. He revitalized his career after the Coyotes traded him to the Wild.

“You sometimes just need an opportunity somewhere else,” Dubnyk said. “He’d been with us his entire career to that point, and obviously he wasn’t playing regularly. He got an opportunity somewhere else, and it was up to him to go play, and that’s what he did. He earned himself everything that’s come to him. He deserves this, and it’s good to see him playing well.”

As for whether the Wild can take advantage of the fact that they know Kuemper very well, Boudreau didn’t think that would have much of an impact.

“He is playing an awful lot better than he was when he was playing with us,” Boudreau said. “I don’t thinking knowing his weaknesses is a thing because I think they’ve changed. If he still had these weaknesses, he wouldn’t be having the numbers he has had in recent seasons.”

BRIEFLY

Marcus Foligno missed Saturday’s game with a lower-body injury. He is listed as day-to-day.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160753 Minnesota Wild But on this night, he and the Coyotes crumbled. After Koivu’s goal, the Coyotes would once more take a two-goal lead.

But less than five minutes later, there was a miscommunication behind From back talk to comeback: Wild erase deficit vs. Darcy Kuemper and the net as Kuemper played a puck and soon after Kevin Fiala scored his Coyotes with some chirping along the way third goal in four games off a Brad Hunt rebound to cut the deficit to 3-2.

GOAL. KEVIN FIALA SCORES ON THE REBOUND.

Michael Russo WILD STILL TRAIL 3-2. PIC.TWITTER.COM/6O3F9BE9UV

Nov 9, 2019 — HOCKEY WILDERNESS (@HOCKEYWILDERNES) NOVEMBER 10, 2019

By period’s end, it was 3-3 on Dumba’s second goal of the season after GLENDALE, Ariz. — It’s not often the Wild find a way to get into an Zucker circled the net and tried to feed Fiala. The two couldn’t connect, opposing goaltender’s head, but Saturday night against a former but the puck slid right to the sharpshooting Dumba. He blasted a puck by comrade and colleague, it sure looked like the Wild entered Darcy one of his best friends, Kuemper. Kuemper’s kitchen, then ordered an appetizer, chowed down on an entrée, baked a cake and washed it all down with a double-espresso “It was a pretty open lane to shoot it, so I just let it rip,” Dumba said. americano. In the third, the Wild would take a one-goal lead for good when Ryan After the Arizona Coyotes built a two-goal first-period lead, Kuemper Hartman scored his first game-winning goal with the Wild. It was sweet decided to have fun with a few of his former teammates and apparently redemption for Hartman, who was kicked out of Thursday’s game in San talk some smack. Jose midway through the third period after a questionable slashing major.

Many took it in jest. Some did not. “I tend to like to finish the game,” Hartman deadpanned.

“I don’t want to say anything about that. I’ll leave it at that,” said all- After Ryan Suter’s shot deflected into the right corner, defenseman Jared business captain Mikko Koivu, who got the comeback started with his Spurgeon sped down the right-wing wall. He reached the puck first and franchise-record 60th power-play goal. “To me, it’s not fun what immediately one-touched a perfect no-look pass to the opposite side of happened, but it is what it is.” the slot for Hartman to one-time through a Jordan Greenway screen.

The Wild, for a second time in three games on the trip, roared back from ROW THE BOAT, WILD PIC.TWITTER.COM/S77XUCX52T a two-goal deficit by scoring four times for a 4-3 win against a goaltender — THE ATHLETIC MINNESOTA (@THEATHLETICMIN) NOVEMBER who hadn’t allowed four goals in 23 consecutive starts since March 11. 10, 2019 After Koivu’s goal early in the second period, old pal Jason Zucker It was just a special pass by a special player and the Wild’s 13th goal in instantly chirped at Kuemper, then Koivu fist-pumped in Kuemper’s the first three games of the four-game trip that ends Tuesday in Los direction and followed that up by unleashing a couple of piercing barbs Angeles. toward the direction of Kuemper, who was skating by during his routine post-goal jaunt to the wall and back to his cage. “I think we tend to find our legs at some point and when we do, we’re doing a lot of good things,” Hartman said. “We’re at the net. We’re taking THAT IS SOME SERIOUS TALKING SMACK FROM KOIVU shots from the point making their forwards have to block shots. We’re #CHIRPING HTTPS://T.CO/RH67UQ8C3R getting opportunities at the net. You saw that on Kevin’s goal. Huntsy’s — MICHAEL RUSSO (@RUSSOHOCKEY) NOVEMBER 10, 2019 shooting it and guys are crashing the net.”

Asked what Koivu said, Kuemper told The Athletic, “I don’t remember.” Spurgeon said Greenway’s screen was so good, he doesn’t even think Kuemper saw the pass to Hartman. The trash-talking didn’t end there. “I saw Hartsy pop out and I knew the (defender) was trying to get out at There was further talking back and forth the rest of the game with (Suter) off his shot, so I just tried to fire it to (Hartman) and happy he was Kuemper, and when defenseman Matt Dumba tied the score with 50 ready,” Spurgeon said. seconds left in the Wild’s three-goal second, Zucker again quickly said something to Kuemper during a fly-by toward his celebrating teammates. From there, the Wild got tremendous goaltending from Devan Dubnyk, who had two tough periods but stopped all 14 shots he faced in the third GOAL. MATT DUMBA WITH A BOMB FROM THE POINT TO TIE IT. for a 31-save effort to improve to 3-7-1 on the season.

3-3. PIC.TWITTER.COM/FGBWKC95UQ “I started feeling a little more settled in the second,” said Dubnyk, who has been trudging along with a 3.57 goals-against average and .887 — HOCKEY WILDERNESS (@HOCKEYWILDERNES) NOVEMBER 10, save percentage. “It’s funny. When things are the way they are and then 2019 you sit for a couple you start getting a little more antsy than you should “I’m a big fan of Kuemps,” Zucker said, smiling. “He’s a good friend of be. I just told myself to wait for pucks and wait until the play develops and mine. He’s been playing great here for these guys. I’m happy for him. But then go. Don’t try to be guessing what’s going to happen before it yeah, there’s always a little bit of jabbering going on.” happens.

Kuemper, 29, ranks sixth in Wild history with 41 wins and 102 games and “I started to feel that even before they scored the third goal. It went in and spent nine years in the Wild organization since it drafted the former it was frustrating. It was a pretty good shot through a small hole. You’re Player of the Year and Canadian Hockey not going to beat yourself up about that. You just know with this group League Goalie of the Year 161st overall in 2009. especially lately the most important thing is to keep it there and don’t turn three into four and just work hard and we’ve done a good job coming After signing with the Los Angeles Kings as a free agent, Kuemper was back.” traded to Arizona two years ago, struggled initially but began to emerge as its No. 1 last year. He entered Saturday’s game ranked second in the Dubnyk was also playing behind a team whose legs had to be heavy. NHL this season with a .937 save percentage and 1.82 goals-against Still, the Wild gutted things out and got a huge third-period penalty kill. average. Since last allowing four goals, Kuemper recorded a 1.67 goals- Not only was Marcus Foligno sidelined by a lower-body injury, but also against average and .944 save percentage over a 23-start stretch. Luke Kunin was a last-second scratch because of illness. Kunin’s So Saturday’s offensive onslaught by the Wild was no small feat. absence is the only reason why Hartman was on the line for the winning goal with Greenway and Joel Eriksson Ek in the first place. That originally “I’m sure Kuemps would still like to beat us,” coach Bruce Boudreau said. would have been Kunin’s spot. “His last year we probably weren’t as good to him as we should have been. But he’s gone and become one of the best goalies in the league But with no other forwards on the trip, the Wild dressed seldom-used numbers-wise. So he probably likes to beat us pretty good.” defenseman Nick Seeler, who only logged two shifts in the game because Boudreau didn’t want to disrupt his top-six blueliners. With the Wild trying to rally, then preserve a third-period lead, Boudreau shortened his bench to mostly nine forwards as Victor Rask and Ryan Donato each played less than 10 minutes. So, all these ingredients caused a bit of a tense finish.

“You just want to keep it short and don’t be stupid,” Koivu said of the short-handed Wild’s shifts. “If you don’t have a chance to get to the puck, get a change and get a fresh guy out there. I think that’s what we tried to do and just to be smart with the puck as well. You don’t want to get stuck in your own zone for too long. I think for the most part we did pretty good with that.”

It was the second time in three games the Wild erased a two-goal deficit for a win, and remember, they nearly rallied from three four-goal deficits before falling short in San Jose. The Wild have been outscored 6-0 in the past two first periods.

“Maybe we need to pretend that we’re down two at the start of the first,” Spurgeon joked.

But unlike San Jose, it wasn’t like the Wild were playing terribly in the opening 20 on this night.

The first goal was a fluky one, the second goal was one Dubnyk needed to stop but he surely wasn’t aided by five defenders basically in the left corner and nobody even close to the eventual goal-scorer, Jakub Chychrun.

HOW MANY PLAYERS CAN WE GET IN ONE CORNER? PIC.TWITTER.COM/L1YRVO4JJU

— ROB THOR JR. (@MNHOCKEY64) NOVEMBER 10, 2019

“You don’t want to fall behind and be chasing the game all the time,” Koivu said.

Echoed Dumba, “I don’t know what that’s about. We have to cut that out of our game. But it’s awesome to see our resiliency and how we battled back.”

Added Hartman, “Obviously we want to stop falling behind, but we showed some good character being able to come back and keep ourselves in the game.”

In the end, the Wild got to the talkative Kuemper and ate a goalie for dinner who has been pretty unflappable since last March.

The two teams will rematch in St. Paul on Thursday, so we’ll see if the trash-talking continues.

“I try and stay out of that for karma, but some guys had fun with it,” Spurgeon said, laughing. “He was here for so long and everyone has a good relationship with him, so once you get into the game, it’s pretty fun.”

One guy who vows not to talk trash with Kuemper is his old sidekick, Dubnyk.

“I think he does get into it with those guys, but I’m not one to get into it with the other goalie,” Dubnyk said, laughing. “I feel like that’s bad karma.”

The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160754 MontrealCanadiens but, off the ice, he’s a leader in the room. You can’t find any negatives in his game because he’s played above and beyond what we expected.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.10.2019 In the Habs' Room: Montreal hangs on for win despite first-period outburst

It took a series of big saves from Carey Price to seal the deal during the second and third period drought.

PAT HICKEY

November 9, 2019

Any time you pick up two points you have to be happy, but it would be a mistake to credit the Canadiens with a solid performance in their 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.

The Habs were outstanding in the first period as they grabbed a 3-0 lead on the strength of two power-play goals by Shea Weber, who has scored 101 career goals with the man-advantage.

But the Canadiens failed to press their advantage over the second and third periods and they were hanging on at the end. It took a series of big saves from Carey Price to seal the win. Weber scored goals on the first two Montreal power plays, but the Canadiens were unable to score on their last four advantages. Part of the problem mIght have been related to Weber’s first-period success as his teammates tried to set him up a for a hat-trick.

There was also the matter of players getting to know each other. Claude Julien tried to inject some jump into his offence by juggling his four lines. And those new lines didn’t stay together a lot in the first two periods because there were a lot of power plays and penalty-kill situations.

“We didn’t play (together) a lot … maybe more in the third,” said Jonathan Drouin, who was on the nominal No. 1 line with Phil Danault and Brendan Gallagher. “But in the first two periods, we just played a couple of shifts, a couple of face-offs. There’s some stuff we could work on, but for the first game it’s pretty good.”

Weber was the centre of attention on this night, not because he scored twice, but because of the way he scored his first goal. His initial shot was blocked, but the puck flew into the air and Weber drove it home on a half- volley worthy of top-level cricket batsman.

“I can’r remember a shot like that,” Weber said. “That was a weird one waiting for it to come down. I got lucky.”

“I’ve seen a lot of good bounces, but I’ve never seen a goal scored in that fashion, but that was a good shot,” Price said.

Weber has three goals in the last two games and six for the season. His 13 points put him among the team points leaders and he’s among the top 10 defence scorers in the league.

‘I’m not surprised because when he get his opportunities, he makes the most of them,” Price said.

Weber had a busy night. He led the Canadiens with 25 minutes of ice time, put seven shots on goal, had three shots blocked and had three others go wide.

Price tried to put the Kings’ comeback in perspective.

“Any team that’s down is going to apply pressure, but I think their goaltender played well,” Price said. ” We had opportunities to seal it, but (Jonathan Quick) played really well.”

And Weber said he didn’t see the L.A. push as a sign the Canadiens let down.

“Even though we didn’t score, I thought the power play generated some good chances (in the second period),” Weber said. “It was good for us in the first and it stood up.”

The Canadiens’ other goal was scored by 34-year-old Nate Thompson, whose work on the fourth line and as a penalty killer has been impressive.

“The way he finished last season, we said we have to get this guy back, this is a guy we could use,” Julien said. “He brings experience on the ice 1160755 MontrealCanadiens

Shea Weber powers Canadiens over Kings with early two-goal effort

Montreal has five points in their last three outings and the win allowed them to slip ahead of Buffalo for third place in the Atlantic Division.

PAT HICKEY

November 9, 2019

Shea Weber provided the entertainment as the Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 Saturday at the Bell Centre.

Weber set the tone with a couple of power-play goals in the first period. His opening goal was a prime example of hand-eye co-ordination. His original one-timer from beyond the faceoff circle was blocked in front by Matt Roy. He went high in the air and Weber timed his shot just right as he picked up the puck on the short hop and blasted another one-timer past Jonathan Quick.

Public address announcer Michel Lacroix had just started his announcement of the Weber goal when the Canadiens took a 2-0 lead a mere 15 seconds later. Nate Thompson took a feed from Artturi Lehkonen for his first goal of the season

Weber took advantage of a Kings’ penalty-kill unit that came into the game ranked 30th in the league with a more straightforward effort later in the first period. Drouin gave him a cross-ice pass and he blasted a shot from the left point for his sixth goal of the season. Those were the first power-play goals in five games for the Canadiens, who broke out of a zero-for-12 drought.

This wasn’t the 60-minute effort teams desire, but the first-period outburst was good enough, partly because the Kings aren’t very good.

Los Angeles made it interesting when Blake Lizotte was credited with a goal at 13:04 of the third period when the puck went in off defenceman Brett Kulak’s leg during a goalmouth scramble.

Carey Price earned his keep when he made a series of big saves in the third period.

Los Angeles managed only one of a possible six points on their three- game swing through Eastern Canada and returns home with the worst record in the Western Conference. The Canadiens have five points in their last three outings and the win allowed them to slip ahead of Buffalo for third place in the Atlantic Division.

The Canadiens have had their own problems killing penalties. They experienced a bit of a turnaround Thursday in Philadelphia when they were shorthanded six times and didn’t surrender a goal. They killed off the first two penalties Saturday, but Anze Kopitar — the Kings’ $10- million forward — beat Price — the Canadiens $10-million goaltender — on a power play early in the second period. Kopitar had far too much room as he skated into the high slot and converted a pass from Alex Iafallo.

Montreal missed an opportunity to pad its lead when it enjoyed three other power plays in the second period, including a four-minute stretch after Kyle Clifford received a double minor for high-sticking Jeff Petry. There was no urgency to get the puck into the zone and the Canadiens failed to get a shot for the first two minutes of that advantage.

The Canadiens are back at the Bell Centre on Tuesday to play the Columbus Blue Jackets (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN-690 Radio).

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160756 MontrealCanadiens three games, I think we’ve been very ordinary. So moving guys around and trying to get their attention and probably get some energy is why we’ve done it.”

Canadiens Game Day: And the first star ... Shea Weber! Tatar stays out of box

An easy pick after captain scores two power-play goals while logging a Tatar found himself in Julien’s doghouse after taking two more penalties team-high 25:07 of ice time with seven shots in 3-2 win over Kings. in Thursday’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Flyers in Philadelphia, resulting in him being demoted. Tatar leads the Canadiens with 20 penalty minutes — all minors.

STU COWAN Tatar didn’t take any penalties against the Kings and picked up an assist on Thompson’s goal, giving him 300 career points (149 goals and 151 November 10, 2019 assists in 524 games) and 5-9-14 totals this season.

“Lehky and Suzy, they work really hard,” Tatar said after the game. “They It wasn’t hard to pick the first star in the Canadiens’ 3-2 win over the Los helped me out there a lot. I think we played well. Angeles Kings Saturday night at the Bell Centre. “It’s up to coach how he’s going to mix up the lines,” Tatar added. “I’m Canadiens captain Shea Weber was the Man Mountain with two goals — OK to play anywhere. I just want to help my team to win.” both on the power play — a game-high seven shots on goal and a team- It was obvious Tatar was being very careful when stick-checking the high 25:07 of ice time. Nate Thompson scored the other Canadiens goal Kings, fearful of taking another penalty. and Carey Price stopped 31 of the 33 shots he faced to earn the second star. “Penalties are part of the game,” Tatar said. “I feel pretty bad to have that many at this time. I just got to be more careful, I guess. Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, who stopped 34 of 37 shots, was named the third star. The Canadiens improved their record to 9-5-3, “I was disagreeing with a few of the calls on the stick,” he added about while the Kings fell to 5-11-1. the penalties he has taken. “I’m just trying to play hard, lift the puck or lift the stick. Some of the refs are saying I hit the glove. They’re pretty strict Weber now has 101 career power-play goals, the most of any active now about that. I guess I just have to be more careful. That’s the league defenceman in the NHL, and has 5-8-13 totals in 17 games this season. the way it is now, they’re calling this stuff and you just have to respect it. After missing the first 24 games last season following foot and knee Puck battles and stick battles used to be allowed. I guess now they’re surgeries, Weber’s game certainly seems to be back on track with a not. I feel like it’s changed a lot from last year, so I’m a little surprised by three-game point streak and points in five of the last six games. that. But no excuse. I just need to be careful and not in the box.”

“I think it’s just normal,” coach Claude Julien said about Weber’s recent Two assists for Drouin play. “He came back halfway through (last season), in the middle of the Drouin assisted on both of Weber’s goals and now leads the Canadiens season from an injury and all that stuff … it was hard for him to play at in scoring with 7-8-15 totals, one point ahead of Tatar and two ahead of the level that he’d like to play. He started off at the same time as Brendan Gallagher and Weber. everybody else this year, so I think that’s made a big difference.” As for his new linemates, Drouin said: “We didn’t play (together) a lot … Uncle Nate scores maybe more in the third. But in the first two periods we just played a Thompson’s goal was his first this season, giving him 1-5-6 totals for the couple of shifts, a couple of faceoffs. There’s some stuff we could work season, but the 35-year-old’s game is about so much more than just on but for the first game it’s pretty good.” goals and points. Beefing up the defence “When we talked about him at the end of last year a lot of players that For the second time in three games, Julien changed his top two defence came in said: ‘We’d love to have this guy back,’” Julien said after the pairings, putting Ben Chiarot with Weber and Victor Mete with Jeff Petry. game. “We had already kind of made that decision in our chats, coaches The coach did the same thing last Tuesday night when the Canadiens and GMs, that this is a guy that we could probably use next year. Why? beat the Boston Bruins 5-4. Because what he brings on the ice: experience and everything else. What he brings off the ice: he’s a real pro and he’s a leader in that room Are those pairings something we might see more often moving forward? with the other leaders and he brings a lot to the table. His play right now, you can’t even complain or find a negative because he’s been probably “It depends on the games,” Julien said after Saturday’s game. above and beyond what we probably expected. So good for him and “Sometimes you got to put those guys (Weber and Chiarot) together for hopefully that continues.” the reason you saw again tonight — a big line. But there’s other games where you need a little bit more balance in defending and in bringing The Canadiens acquired Thompson from the Kings at last year’s NHL some offence. So it all depends on who we play and we need to look at trade deadline and signed him to a one-year, US$1-million contract those things close every game that we play and in the pre-scouting of the shortly after the season ended. other team.”

“It’s always good to score against a former team and it was just nice to The lines get the first one out of the way,” Thompson said after the game. Here’s how the Canadiens lines and defence pairings looked against the “I think going into the year I just wanted to make sure that I continue to Kings: get better,” he added. “That’s kind of been my mindset every year is just trying to improve and just try and make an impact. I think that’s the Drouin – Danault – Gallagher biggest thing for me is just taking it day to day and just making an impact. Byron – Domi – Armia It’s not too much of what the expectations are. I always expect highly of myself, but I think it’s just making sure that I play solid and play my way.” Tatar – Suzuki – Lehkonen

Line juggling Poehling – Thompson – Cousins

Julien juggled his lines for the game. Chiarot – Weber

The biggest change had Jonathan Drouin taking Tomas Tatar’s spot at Mete – Petry left wing on the No. 1 line with Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher, while Ryan Poehling moved from centre to left wing on the fourth line Kulak – Fleury with Thompson and Nick Cousins. Tatar dropped down to the third line Jordan Weal, Mike Reilly and Christian Folin were healthy scratches, with Nick Suzuki, who played centre, and Artturi Lehkonen. while Jesperi Kotkaniemi remains sidelined with a groin injury. “It’s just we switched lines because we’ve been flat,” Julien said after Échec et mat. Saturday’s morning skate at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard. “Last Kulak back in lineup

After being a healthy scratch for the last six games, defenceman Brett Kulak got back in the Canadiens lineup against the Kings, taking Reilly’s spot.

“He’s got to go out and play the way we’ve seen him play in the past,” Julien said about Kulak. “I like the way he closes and he defends and he competes. He’s just got to be better with the puck. Keep his game simple, move it quickly and he’ll be fine.”

Kulak logged 13:03 of ice time, had two shots on goal and was minus-1.

Poehling on the wing

Poehling said after the morning skate that he wasn’t concerned about being switched from centre to left wing, noting he played the wing for two or three games with Team USA at last year’s world junior championship, where he was named the tournament’s top forward.

“I think making the switch from centre to wing is way easier than wing to centre,” he said. “It’s not too difficult, I guess.”

Thompson had some advice for Poehling.

“I just told him to play and have fun,” Thompson said after the game. “He’s a skilled player. He’s a good player … he’s going to be a good player in this league for a long time. I just told him not to worry about too much and go out there and play. I thought he was good tonight. He made some good plays and I thought we had some good shifts together.”

Poehling had a team-low 8:00 of ice time with one shot on goal.

What about KK?

Kotkaniemi remains on the injured-reserve list with a groin problem and missed his fifth straight game Saturday night.

“I’m not in the position to be the doctor here when it comes to that,” Julien said Saturday morning when asked if Kotkaniemi was close to returning. “All I know is that he’s not quite ready yet. From what I’m being told is that he is much better, but there’s an opportunity there that could take a step back if pushed past the threshold that he needs to be in order to play. So, in other words, he may feel like he’s ready, but when he’s being pushed to the max it’s not quite ready yet. So our medical staff and doctors are buying some time here and they want a little bit more.”

What’s next?

The Canadiens will have the day off Sunday and have a practice scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard before facing the Columbus Blue Jackets Tuesday night at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). The Canadiens then have practices scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday and 10:45 a.m. Thursday in Brossard before playing the Capitals Friday night in Washington (7 p.m., TSN2, RDS, TSN 690 Radio). The Canadiens will wrap up the week next Saturday at the Bell Centre against the New Jersey Devils (7 p.m., CITY, SNE, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio).

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160757 MontrealCanadiens

L.A. Kings at Canadiens: Five things you should know

The Kings (5-10-1), who have the worst record in the West, managed to secure a point Thursday when they lost to Ottawa 3-2 in overtime.

PAT HICKEY

November 9, 2019

Here are five things you should know about the Canadiens-Kings game Saturday at the Bell Centre (7 p.m., CITY, SNE, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio).

The matchup: The Canadiens return home after salvaging a point Thursday in a 3-2 overtime loss in Philadelphia. Claude Julien said his team didn’t have its legs against the Flyers, but that shouldn’t be an excuse after the players enjoyed a day off Friday. It was also a day off for the Kings, who are wrapping up a three-game Eastern Canada swing. The Kings (5-10-1), who have the worst record in the Western Conference, lost to Toronto 3-1 on Tuesday, but managed to secure a point Thursday when they lost to Ottawa 3-2 in overtime.

The goaltenders: Carey Price has been hot and cold this season, but he was the main reason why the Canadiens reached overtime in Philadelphia. The Flyers outshot the Canadiens 43-24. Price made at least three saves on breakaways and stopped Carsen Twarynski on a penalty shot. The Kings give up 3.94 goals a game to rank 30th in the NHL. They split the work between Jack Campbell and Jonathan Quick and neither has been good. Campbell has a 3.11 goals-against average and an .886 save percentage, while Quick has a 4.40 GAA and an .859 SP.

Bounce back for Tatar: Look for a rebound from Tomas Tatar after a subpar game in Philadelphia. Tatar was bounced from the top line after taking two penalties in the early going and contributing little to the offence, but Claude Julien said the demotion was temporary. Tatar has 13 points and shares the team scoring lead with linemate Brendan Gallagher and Jonathan Drouin. Max Domi has four goals and seven assists in 15 games against the Kings, while Shea Weber — whose third goal of the season sent the Flyers game into overtime — has eight goals and 15 assists in 38 games.

Killer instinct: While Price was the star of Thursday’s game, he received a big assist from the Canadiens’ penalty-killing unit. The Flyers had six power plays and were unable to score. The Montreal PK has been among the worst in the NHL, but the performance in Philly moved them from 30th to 28th in the NHL with a success rate of 72.5 per cent. They are just ahead of the Kings, who check in at 70.9 per cent. The Kings also struggle on the power play, where they rank 29th, converting on only 10 per cent of their chances.

The other guys: Anze Kopitar is the Kings’ leading scorer with four goals and 15 points, and he has 14 points in 17 games against Montreal. Tyler Toffoli has 10 points in 12 games against the Canadiens. The player with the most points against Montreal is Ilya Kovalchuk, who signed with L.A. last season after six seasons in the KHL. The 36-year- old has 13 goals and 26 assists. He had 16 goals and 34 points last season, but was a minus-26. This season, he has three goals and six assists and is minus-10.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160758 MontrealCanadiens “Well, never quite like that, up in the air and a one-time clapper like that,” he said.

Price has referred to Weber’s athleticism before as mutant-like. This was A thorough breakdown of the most incredible goal Shea Weber has just another example. scored in a Canadiens uniform “Careful planning and execution,” he said, tongue-in-cheek, to explain how Weber pulled it off.

Arpon Basu The play began at peak normalcy, with the Canadiens on a power play, trying to set up Weber for a one-timer. The Kings, for whatever reason, Nov 10, 2019 did not appear all that concerned about the threat, one of the few teams the Canadiens have faced this season to allow Weber the room to tee up like this on a power play. In every single NHL game, we see things normal people simply could never dream of doing. Every single one, without fail. This is where Roy comes in. The Kings defenceman is in a horrible situation here, with an unchecked Weber winding up for a one-timer and A subtle kick of a pass up to a stick without breaking stride, deflecting a him being the only player in a position to block it. He is not the first player puck fired at 90 mph while being cross-checked in the back, plays so to be put into this situation, but the utter disregard for one’s own safety common we come to accept them as normal. required to do this should be commended every time.

So in this environment of heightened normalcy, in which the bar for the “It definitely doesn’t feel good,” Roy told The Athletic’s Lisa Dillman. spectacular is set spectacularly high, seeing something so remarkable it “But it’s part of the game and part of my job. It’s just something you have makes you wonder if you have ever seen it before is worth celebrating. to do.”

Shea Weber provided that for us Saturday. And we will celebrate it. Roy blocked the shot with his foot and was busy not feeling good when That was Weber’s 100th career power-play goal, and it is something that the puck flew into the air. Alex Iafallo was now the closest player to requires multiple viewings to fully understand what happened. The basic Weber and probably not even considering the possibility he was going to details of it are pretty straightforward: Weber teed up a one-timer from one-time it again. Most of the players on the ice were trying to locate the the top of the left circle on the power play, something he has done puck. Nick Cousins, who had turned to face the net for a rebound, had no hundreds of times over his career. The shot was heroically blocked by idea what was happening behind him. Los Angeles Kings defenceman Matt Roy; the puck popped about 15 feet “I was waiting for the first one, and then I think it went up in the air or in the air, and just before it came down and hit the ice, Weber one-timed something?” Cousins said. it again and scored on Jonathan Quick. Roy was still coping with blocking the first attempt. Iafallo’s focus was on But Weber deciding to shoot that puck a second time in the manner he getting out to Weber. decided to shoot it is just about the least normal decision imaginable. And it was made as soon as Weber nearly took off Roy’s foot with his Weber’s focus was on the puck. He knew exactly where it was first shot. immediately, as you can see here with his head pointing straight at the puck, circled in red. “As soon as I got blocked, I was shooting it,” Weber said. “I just wanted to get some shots through at the start; then, hopefully, things could open Remember: Weber has already decided at this point that he’s shooting up for the power play. Obviously, the first one got blocked; I didn’t expect that puck, the one he is looking at 15 feet in the air. Yeah, not normal. it to go up so high, but I knew it was coming back in my direction. So, I On the other side of the ice, stationed in the right circle, Jonathan Drouin was like, ‘I’m just shooting it again.'” is watching this unfold. He doesn’t know where the puck is at this point, Then, Weber suddenly realized he was talking about himself and but he is looking at Weber and realizes the situation has the potential to something extraordinary he did, which generally gives him hives. be dangerous. Therefore he lowered his voice and slowed his speech to complete his “I’m starting to go back to my zone because if it bounces over Webby, thought. By the end, his voice was a whisper. they probably get a break or something,” Drouin said. “I was starting to “Obviously, I was able to, umm, time it pretty well,” he said, mumbling move toward Pricey, and then I just saw the puck hit the blocker side. It the last few words. was pretty amazing.”

NHL players often think things are obvious. They start approximately 43 Drouin — widely considered by his teammates the most skilled player on percent of their answers to just about any question with “obviously” even the team — still wasn’t sure what happened on that play and was curious if what they are saying is not the least bit obvious. Weber’s percentage is to find out. probably higher than that. But this might have been the most accurate “On the video, does it land or does it not land?” he asked. “He hit it out use of the word “obviously” in NHL history. of the air? I’ve never seen that.” He timed it pretty well. That is indeed obvious. Whether Weber hit it on the fly or on the bounce seems rather irrelevant, How did Weber do it, and how did others experience a goal that cleared and finding conclusive video evidence of one or the other proved difficult. the bar of NHL normalcy with lots of room to spare? Let’s find out. But this is Weber a split second before the puck leaves his stick, and the puck has not yet bounced on the ice. Carey Price was removing his equipment in the Canadiens dressing room after the 3-2 win against the Kings, minding his own business when At this point, Roy is just gathering himself from the initial shot block and, he was interrupted. Few people in that room were better qualified to rate as Weber is about to shoot, he turns his head to see what is happening. the rarity of Weber’s goal than him. “It was just instinct for me. I’ve been doing it for so long — just go out “Oh, yeah,” he said matter-of-factly. “I’ve seen that before.” and get in the lane,” Roy said. “I guess whatever happens next, you kind of deal with it.” Really? Roy didn’t elaborate, but just imagine the horror at this exact moment. Price looked up with a little grin, a grin that served as a proxy for the word “obviously,” and said, simply, “I’m a goalie.” “I wouldn’t want to be in his spot,” Drouin said.

Fair enough. Price was watching from nearly 200 feet away, and when told how Roy turned his head at the exact moment Weber shot it, his immediate But Price was referring more to the fact Weber one-timed a fortuitous reaction was to note what his counterpart, Quick, was doing in net. bounce off a blocked shot, which we do indeed see from time to time. But then he thought about the unique details of this particular goal and “Quicky did the same thing,” Price said. “He was looking through the corrected himself. crowd (of players) or something and was just, ‘Oh, there’s another cannon in the chamber.'” Here is the moment that realization occurred. Couldn’t have been a great feeling.

The puck flew by Roy’s head and Quick’s blocker a millisecond later, and the Canadiens were up 1-0.

“It was a skill play by Shea,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “He’s that good a player — he can do it. There’s not much we can do about that one.”

Weber didn’t describe it the same way, just because that’s who Weber is.

“Yeah, you get lucky once in a while, I guess,” he said.

Yeah, no.

Sure, there was some luck involved. The puck had to bounce off Roy’s foot right back to him; that’s pretty lucky. But to immediately decide he was going to shoot the puck again when it was 15 feet in the air and then successfully execute that decision has nothing to do with luck.

“It made me laugh. It was insane,” Tomas Tatar said. “I feel like to hit it again, like, that is so hard. And to hit it again through the traffic, it’s impressive. We were laughing on the bench.”

Weber would add another power-play goal later in the game, the 208th goal of his career, tied with Larry Robinson for 19th all-time. His 13 points in 17 games this season were tied for ninth in the NHL among defencemen after Saturday night’s games. His five goals were tied for fourth.

But this one goal stands out because seeing something in the NHL that makes you wonder if you’ve ever seen anything like it before is a rare thing. And it needs to be recognized as such.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160759 MontrealCanadiens he’s also using it in accordance with smart defensive positioning to break up opposing scoring chances, as evidenced by the clip below.

Don’t call it a comeback Video Review: Shea Weber powers the Canadiens to a necessary win Weber’s off-balance goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday was something else. He managed to generate enough torque to put one of those generic truck commercials to shame. (You know the ones I’m Marc Dumont talking about — they’re always towing a gigantic boat for some reason, as if every truck owner in the history of mankind also owns a mini-yacht Nov 9, 2019 they bring to the lake when they’re not busy loading their truck with ridiculous quantities of gravel that is randomly dropped from 30 metres above the recommended height.) Claude Julien sent a much-needed message to his team prior to Saturday night’s matchup against the last-place Los Angeles Kings. And he scored that goal while adapting to, let’s be honest, a bad pass by Drouin. He described their play as ordinary, but ordinary was a diplomatic way of putting it given they had been playing well below their own standards in He decided to up the stakes Saturday by outdoing his previous circus recent games. shot, this time with a routine that had a much higher level of difficulty.

The Canadiens actually split the shots evenly with their last three Not only did he add injury to insult by banking one of his classic slap opponents but managed to control only 42.8 percent of the high-danger shots off Matt Roy before the goal, but he also recuperated his own chances in that time frame, down significantly from 53.2 percent in their rebound and hit a Vladimir Guerrero-style home run on a pitch that was previous 13 games. Producing over 10 percent fewer quality chances heading to the dirt. What’s more, he never even allowed the puck to than usual is always cause for concern, but it can also be a blip on the touch the ice after the initial shot. radar. However, once you consider defencemen outscored forwards 5-3 If I’m not explaining the play very clearly, it’s probably because I’ve never in those three games, it becomes clear Julien was trying to limit the seen a player take his own rebound and Happy Gilmore his way to a damage to a series of games before it became a season-long trend. goal. His four lines, which usually share the scoring responsibilities on various Maybe I should let the footage do the talking: nights, had stopped scoring, not to mention his top line of Tomas Tatar, Phillip Danault and Brendan Gallagher, usually a beacon of offensive It took just 15 seconds for the Canadiens to add to their lead. Nate reliability, had scored just one goal in the last three games. Thompson’s first goal of the season was a direct result of a sustained forecheck, the same sustained forecheck that set the tone earlier in the Their lack of production and Tatar’s indiscipline, as well as a weak game for the Canadiens. opponent, gave Julien the perfect excuse to pull out the blender, which resulted in Jonathan Drouin taking Tatar’s spot on the first line. Julien Tatar, who might have convinced Julien to end his first-line banishment also replaced the inconsistent Mike Reilly with Brett Kulak, who happens early thanks to a strong game, created a turnover without taking a to be the Canadiens’ best defenceman when it comes to controlling shots penalty, which gave Artturi Lehkonen the perfect opportunity to find this season. Thompson.

For the most part, the message was well received, as the Canadiens It’s also worth noting Thompson currently has an incredible mustache. It controlled the play against the Kings by using their speed in transition to had no impact on the game (or did it?) but it’s definitely worth mentioning. generate several high-danger scoring chances. But much to Julien’s dismay, they did decide to sit on their lead in the third, which almost led Navigating choppy waters to a Kings comeback. Despite his reputation as a defensive defenceman, I have a theory that Ultimately, a player who has quietly placed among the most dangerous Weber has transitioned his game into an offensive role in recent years. If defencemen in the offensive zone this season ended up making the you take a close look at his numbers, as Man Mountain’s value in the difference, as Shea Weber scored twice to secure a 3-2 win for the defensive zone slowly erodes, his offensive production continues to Canadiens. climb. It’s a very interesting phenomenon, especially at his age and given his reputation, but it’s the mark of a smart player. Eventually, one has to Taking control adapt.

The Kings represented the perfect opponent for a morale-boosting win, With 13 points in 17 games, Weber is currently on pace to have the most but despite their lowly placement in the standings, the NHL’s forced productive season of his career, and he’s visibly more active in the parity ensures that no game can be circled as an easy win. Regardless of offensive zone, joining the rush with more frequency and with better one’s opponent, the key is to establish a game plan first so as to force timing than in previous years. the opponent to adapt to a team’s style of play and not vice versa. Final Word The Canadiens did just that on Saturday, taking away all the Kings’ time and space in the defensive zone from the get-go. There’s still work to be done, probably a lot of work if you ask Julien, but despite mailing it in for the last 20 minutes, the Canadiens kept the Kings Not to be outdone by his defencemen, who did a much better job when it to just three five-on-five high-danger opportunities, much better than the came to controlling the blue line, Carey Price decided to help with the 12 they had been averaging in the previous three games. breakouts. A win is a win, and the ideal result against the Kings would have been a Sure, the breakout he started in the first period was squeaky clean and dominant performance that lasted 60 minutes. The Canadiens let up in led directly to a great scoring opportunity, but I wanted to take a moment the third, and though it didn’t cost them on Saturday night, it very well to point out just how calm he remained as Alex Iafallo bore down on him. could have if they weren’t facing a team that was last in the NHL.

His puck-moving abilities have been well documented and we’re almost But enough negativity for now. desensitized to his passing, but once in a while, it’s healthy to remind ourselves that very few goaltenders have the icy veins necessary to start What matters most is the Canadiens took two points from a team they the breakout in that kind of situation. needed to beat. It might seem a little early to talk about necessary wins, but it’s the time of year when the cream tends to rise to the top of the Taking the next step logjam that is the NHL standings.

Victor Mete is playing some of the best hockey in his career. And I only To give you an idea of just how tight things are at the moment, going into say “some” so it doesn’t seem like I’m basing it all off his recent goal- the game, the Canadiens were tied for 15th overall in the NHL, one point scoring surge. He started playing with more confidence well prior to his up from 22nd. goals, and that confidence has grown exponentially since then. Following their victory against the Kings, they’re sitting in ninth. But it’s not just in the offensive zone. Yes, he’s using his speed to generate scoring chances and jump into the play when necessary, but The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160760 Nashville Predators

Predators' Dante Fabbro returns to game after taking puck to the face

Paul Skrbina

11:48 p.m. CT Nov. 9, 2019

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Dante Fabbro was down. Then he was out.

The Predators rookie defenseman blocked an Evander Kane shot with his face late during the second period Saturday night against the Sharks.

Fabbro lay face-down on the ice, squirming for a bit before he was helped off, a pool of blood evidence left behind.

Fabbro headed to the room slowly, holding his face the entire time. He was listed as questionable to return, which he did while wearing a caged helmet with about eight minutes left during the third period.

The 21-year-old has played in all 17 games this season. He recorded his second assist of the season, to go with two goals, earlier in the period when Filip Forsberg gave the Predators a 1-0 lead.

Not pretty... https://t.co/NXv5JalxrYpic.twitter.com/FD1BuxwYv5

— Predlines (@PredlinesNSH) November 10, 2019

Tennessean LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160761 Nashville Predators

Predators-Sharks: TV info, live game score, updates

Staff Writer

5:46 p.m. CT Nov. 9, 2019

The Nashville Predators face the San Jose Sharks on Saturday in the third of a four-game road swing through western North America.

See how to watch or stream the game, and follow along here for live updates throughout the game.

Predators-Sharks TV, streaming info

When: 9:30 p.m. CT, Saturday

Where: SAP Center, San Jose

TV: (Click here for channel information)

Radio: 102.5 FM

Streaming: NHL.tv, Fox Sports Go app

Tennessean LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160762 Nashville Predators

Roman Josi, Yannick Weber excited to go home with Predators as part of NHL's Global Series

Paul Skrbina

5:10 p.m. CT Nov. 9, 2019

Roman Josi grew up in Bern, Switzerland, looking up to two Yannicks -- his older brother, Yannick Josi and current teammate Yannick Weber.

Josi and Weber will return to their hometown next season and play their former team, SC Bern, in an NHL exhibition game together, assuming Weber, who will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, re-signs with the Predators.

Either way, the Predators will conclude their training camp in Bern at PostFinance Arena before facing the Bruins at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, in their season-opener as part of the NHL's Global Series.

"We played a little bit together," Josi said of he and Weber. "For us younger kids it was always fun to watch him play. ... He was always really good."

"It's pretty special for me. My whole family is there. All my best friends I grew up with are there. ... It's going to be emotional."

But it won't be unprecedented.

Josi was on the other side of the coin when his Bern team played the Rangers in an exhibition game there, an 8-1 loss in 2008.

The league announced the news Friday. As of Saturday, Josi said he hadn't been bombarded with ticket requests. But he's expecting that will happen.

"Not yet," said Josi, who signed an eight-year, $72.472 million contract extension Oct. 29. " I will have a big group there for sure."

When the Predators unveiled their Winter Classic sweaters last week ahead of the New Year's Day game against the Stars at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, team president and CEO Sean Henry hinted more marquee games may be in the franchise's future.

"It will provide for some great team-bonding opportunities and will be super special for our captain Roman Josi and fellow Bern native Yannick Weber," Predators general manager said in a statement. "We are excited to share this once-in-a-lifetime memory with them."

Predators coach called the news of going overseas "awesome" and said it will allow his team the chance to break up the monotony that can accompany training camp.

"I'm really glad we're going," Laviolette said. "You saw teams starting to do that. I was just talking about that to David (Poile) last year, just saying how great it would be for our team to get a chance to go overseas.

"It's nice to get out of a routine, to go to Roman's and Yannick's hometown, where they're going to get a big following. ... We're really fortunate to be a part of it. The guys are really looking forward to it."

Weber, of course, among them.

He said he's known Josi since he was five or six years old.

He said going home to play professional hockey against his former team at his former home rink would be neat.

"It's where we grew up; it's where we started playing hockey," Weber said. "Definitely a cool experience. It's going to be a cool event. Still a bit far ahead so I don't really think too much about it.

"That's the rink we went to every day as kids. It's kind of surreal to be back there playing against your former team."

Tennessean LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160763 Nashville Predators plays the game like Nick ... it's nice to see him get rewarded with offense."

While the goals are a goal, they're not the ultimate goal for Bonino. He Nick Bonino's goals include more than goals for Predators knows he likely won't end up leading the Predators in that category. He knows his role calls for far more than offense.

Sure, it was nice to record a hat trick against the Blackhawks earlier this Paul Skrbina season. Sure, it's nice to celebrate a score. But Bonino has a bigger goal than just goals. 5:00 a.m. CT Nov. 9, 2019 "My goal every night is to just be a guy that my teammates and coaches

can depend on, whether that's late in the game, early in the game, SAN JOSE, Calif. — Outfitted in dress slacks, dress shoes and a dress special teams, trying to score, trying to get a block," Bonino said. "I've shirt, Predators center Nick Bonino walked by as teammate Austin tried my whole career to do that." Watson peeled off his sweaty gear after an optional morning skate Tennessean LOADED: 11.10.2019 Thursday in Denver.

Watson happened to be singing Bonino's praises before he interrupted himself.

"I don't know what Bones' expected goals for is," Watson said of an advanced metric, his voice raising loud enough for Bonino to hear. "We're in a world where we're looking at numbers. We're analyzing, if not overanalyzing everything that goes on on the ice. Nick gets the job done."

Bonino, now standing nearby, flashed a quick smile and didn't look up from his phone.

The nonscientific answer to the goals thing: higher than expected.

Bonino had scored eight going into the Predators' game Saturday against the Sharks, making him the surprise leader on a team with names such as Viktor Arvidsson and Filip Forsberg.

The scientific answer, according to advanced metrics that measure such things, Bonino's expected goals for, which takes into account shot quality based on variables such as assist type, angle, high-danger, wasn't available anyway because corsica.hockey was down.

Bonino was converting on 31.82 percent of his shots going into Saturday, a number that would have led the league last season and was second behind Brad Marchand among those with at least 20 shots this season.

He's been doing his damage mostly with high-danger shots, of which he has 10. Most of his eight goals have come from the slot.

He was on pace for 41 goals. His career high is 22, which occurred in 2013-14 when he was with the Ducks.

All those stats — fancy or not — matter. At least a little. At least to Bonino, who won two Stanley Cups with the Penguins.

"Everyone puts stock in those," Bonino said. "You want to have a good year. You want to look at your season after it's done and have provided offense. Sometimes it's a funny game. You can go 15 games and have 40 chances and get nothing. That happened to me last year. After the bye week I felt like I was playing really good hockey and nothing went in.

"Right now I'm playing well but I'm just going to the right spots and the puck's been there. Some guys have the ability to score like this year in and year out. For me, it's one of those 15-game stretches I feel like I'm playing well. I hope it continues."

Watson said the Bonino's value goes beyond offensive numbers, pointing out that he's a "super smart player" who "understands the game very well,' a point Peter Laviolette backed up.

"He seems to be a step ahead of things at times," Watson said. "That's part of what makes him so good.

"He can do whatever you ask him to do. You got a tough matchup against another team's top line, Nick Bonino can get the job done. He scores dirty goals; he scores highlight reel goals. He's a complete package."

Laviolette relies on Bonino late during games when he's trying to protect a lead. He uses him on the penalty kill. He uses him on the power play.

He uses him on a line with Rocco Grimaldi and Craig Smith, a line, he said he thought was the team's best during a couple of games.

"He's counted on for a lot of situations," Laviolette said. "The goals ... everybody always gravitates toward the numbers. His numbers are really good. He's an important piece of the team. It's nice when a player who 1160764 New Jersey Devils

What will Devils do if Sami Vatanen misses time with injury?

Nov 09, 2019

Chris Ryan

Losing to the Edmonton Oilers 4-0 on Friday night at Rogers Place in Edmonton was tough enough, but the Devils also lost a member of its defense.

Sami Vatanen exited the game early in the first period after taking an elbow to the head from Oilers forward Alex Chiasson. Vatanen stayed on the ice before slowly skating to the bench and directly down the tunnel.

Devils coach John Hynes didn’t have an immediate update on Vatanen’s status after the game, and it’s possible the blue liner will need to miss time.

Introducing Devils Insider: Sign up for exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text message directly with beat writers

The easiest fix would be a call-up option from the Binghamton Devils in the AHL to fill the roster spot. The Devils have already dipped into the AHL to plug a hole on defense with Matt Tennyson joining the team when Andy Greene was hurt, then staying after Connor Carrick broke his pinky.

So if the Devils need another defenseman to make the jump to the NHL, here are three options

Joe Morrow

Morrow signed with the Devils after the 2019-20 season started, and he immediately went to Binghamton after clearing waivers. He has three assists in 11 games in the AHL this season, but more importantly, he’s got the most NHL experience of any defenseman currently in Binghamton. The former 2011 first-round pick has appeared in 162 NHL games during his career, including 41 last season for the Winnipeg Jets.

Colton White

If the Devils wanted to go with less experience and potentially higher upside, they could look at some of their own prospects who have been waiting for NHL chances. One is Colton White, who appeared in three NHL games last season. The 23-year-old and 2015 fourth-round pick is a lefty, so he wouldn’t necessarily fill Vatanen’s hole on the right side, but at this point, the Devils wouldn’t be picky.

Josh Jacobs

Jacobs also made his NHL debut in 2018-19, appearing in one game. This is his fourth season playing full time in Binghamton, so he’s plenty familiar with the Devils’ system at this point of his career. Jacobs is also a bigger, more physical defender, which the Devils don’t necessarily have on their current NHL roster.

Star Ledger LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160765 New Jersey Devils sustained pressure in the offensive zone. But right now, the power play is flat. They’re not getting any results.

“It’s pretty disappointing, especially on a night where it could have NJ Devils lose Sami Vatanen and game to Oilers in frustrating fashion maybe gotten you back in the game,” Hall said. “You get on the road and sometimes you struggle a little bit. It’s up to me to be better on it.”

What it means Abbey Mastracco The Devils are now 4-7-4 and all momentum they had from those two 6:12 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2019 wins at the start of the trip is gone. There was some questionable officiating, a bad hit on their best defenseman and some bad bounces. However, good teams overcome bad luck and create their own. EDMONTON, Alberta — The New Jersey Devils might have been the better team Friday night in Edmonton, but it was the home team that got It’s a frustrating way to lose. rewarded. “When you play well enough to have a chance, it’s tough,” Hall said. The effort and intensity were there. They fixed elements of their game “But we lost by four, so maybe it wasn’t that close. Maybe it just felt like that cost them in Calgary one night prior. They generated offense 5-on-5 that. But I thought on a back-to-back we had a good effort, guys stepped and made Mikko Koskinen’s life difficult. up and really improved from last night.”

But they didn’t make things very easy on their own goalie, Cory The veterans of this group are trying to make sure these losses don’t Schneider (28 saves), falling 4-0 to the Oilers at Rogers Place in their have a long-term effect. Losing night after night will wear down any team, third shutout of the season. but losing these coin-flip type of games repeatedly can be especially tough on a young team like the Devils. Edmonton Oilers forward Zack Kassian (44) tries to tip a pass by New Jersey Devils goaltender Cory Schneider (35) during the first period at “If we allow it to wear on us, it will,” Schneider said. “Especially on the Rogers Place. road, when you’re playing a game like this and it’s 1-0, it could go either way. If something bad happens, we have to find a way to keep it there How they lost with goaltending, defense or come back with a response goal and get Losing your best defenseman in the first period is never a good thing, but back into it and get some momentum. I think right now, it feels like we’re for a team that has struggled to possess the puck as much as the Devils, letting the momentum get away and we’re not getting it back. And that’s it’s a killer. the key for us right now to try and find that.

Sami Vatanen caught a high elbow to the face by Alex Chiasson on the “And it’s going to be up to us.” boards in the defensive zone in the first period. He went down and Bergen Record LOADED: 11.10.2019 stayed down for several moments before skating off the ice and heading straight down the tunnel. He did not return and the Devils were forced to make up a lot of heavy minutes with five defensemen, a tough task playing for the second night in a row and their fifth game in seven nights.

“I thought the D corps did a great job and we managed it really well,” coach John Hynes said. “Collectively as a team with five defensemen on a back-to-back against a rested team, I thought the five defensemen that were there really stepped up and played well. I thought the team managed it well and I thought we managed the puck well. We didn’t have to defend for long periods of time.”

Despite the fact that the Devils out-chanced the Oilers, things unraveled with a three-goal second period. The second period should have started with New Jersey leading 1-0 but a disallowed goal because of an early whistle (sound familiar?) had the two teams knotted at 0-0.

But just two minutes into the second, after a good shift by the fourth line, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins sent Leon Draisaitl an outlet pass up the ice and it was off to the races. He beat Schneider with his backhand to put the Oilers on the board and it was over from there.

According to NaturalStatTrick.com, New Jersey had 26 scoring chances and allowed only 18. The Devils may have only had a few bad shifts but they were bad enough that the puck ended up in the back of their net every time a breakdown occurred.

“We had some good sustained periods of time where we played well and probably deserved a goal or two,” said former Oiler Taylor Hall. “But that can happen. Especially on the road, especially against a team that’s playing pretty dangerous right now. We didn’t seem to have an answer for that in the second period.”

Missed opportunities

While the 5-on-5 game has been generating chances, the 5-on-4 game has suddenly eroded. The Devils were 0-for-4 on the power play and they’re 0-for-10 through three games in Western Canada. This comes after a stretch in which they scored power play goals in six straight games.

Edmonton Oilers forward Patrick Russell (52) and New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes (86) chase a loose puck during the first period at Rogers Place.

A successful power play doesn’t always result in goals. Sometimes it creates momentum that leads to goals or leads to long stretches of 1160766 New York Islanders New York Daily News LOADED: 11.10.2019

Mayfield, Greiss lead Islanders to 2-1 win over Panthers

VIN A. CHERWOO

NOV 09, 2019 | 4:17 PM

Scott Mayfield scored in the third period, Thomas Greiss stopped 37 shots and the New York Islanders beat the Florida Panthers 2-1 Saturday for their 11th win in 12 games.

Mathew Barzal had a goal and an assist to help New York bounce back from a 4-3 overtime loss to Pittsburgh on Thursday night. The Islanders earned a point for the 12th straight game — a stretch that followed a 1-3- 0 start and began with a 3-2 shootout win against the Panthers at Nassau Coliseum on Oct. 12.

Aleksander Barkov scored for Florida, and Sergei Bobrovsky finished with 34 saves. The Panthers lost in regulation for just the second time in 13 games (6-2-5),

With Florida trailing 1-0, Barkov tied it with a power-play goal at 6:12 of the third, beating Greiss from the right side for his fourth.

Mayfield regained the lead for New York just 38 seconds later with a shot from the right point that appeared to deflect in off Panthers defenseman Anton Stralman's stick.

A tripping penalty on Anders Lee gave Florida its fourth power play of the game and Barkov appeared to tie it again with 5:25 left. But the goal was disallowed because officials ruled he hit the puck with a high stick. The call was confirmed by a video review.

Bobrovsky was pulled for an extra skater with 1:40 left, but the Panthers came up empty the rest of the way.

Leading 1-0 after 20 minutes, the Islanders pressed to add to their lead in the scoreless second period with both goalies making some nice stops.

New York outshot Florida 19-8 in the period, including 9-1 over the first 5:15 and 6-0 over the final 5 1/2 minutes. Greiss made a nice left pad stop on Mike Matheson in front 5 1/2 minutes in, and denied Evgenii Dadonov from nearly the same spot a minute later. Barkov was stopped on a pair of shots about 45 seconds apart, and Greiss had a spectacular save on Mike Hoffman's shot from the right circle about seven minutes in.

Eberle, back after missing 10 games with an injury, went down on his knee to block a shot by Brett Connolly in front with 8:15 remaining in the middle period.

The Islanders had a goal disallowed during a power play early in the first because officials ruled Anders Lee interfered with Bobrovsky, and replays showed Lee had his skate in the crease when he made contact with the goalie.

Barzal then scored a goal that counted. He got a pass across the crease from Brock Nelson at the right side, paused to draw Bobrovsky to his side, and went to his left and put a backhander in for his team-leading seventh at 5:40.

The Panthers outshot the Islanders 14-7 in the first period, including an 8-1 margin over the final 6 1/2 minutes. New York defenseman Johnny Boychuk helped with a diving block on Barkov's attempt from the right doorstep with Greiss out of position.

NOTES: Barkov's goal gave Florida power-play score for the fifth straight game. ... Barkov extended his goal-scoring streak to four games, with four goals and seven points in the stretch. ... The Panthers lost a one- goal game in regulation for the first time this season, falling to 3-1-5 in such games. ... The Islanders improved to 10-0-1 when leading after two periods. The lone loss was on Thursday night when they blew a 3-0 lead in the third against Pittsburgh. ... Islanders F Casey Cizikas missed the third period due to a lower-body injury.

UP NEXT

Panthers: At the New York Rangers on Sunday.

Islanders: Host Toronto on Wednesday night. 1160767 New York Islanders

Jordan Eberle makes game-turning play in return to Islanders

Peter Botte

November 9, 2019 | 10:53PM

As stellar as goaltender Thomas Greiss was between the pipes again for the Islanders on Saturday, perhaps their finest save of the day came from an unlikely source.

Jordan Eberle returned to the lineup after missing 10 games with a leg injury, and the first-line winger made a dramatic, sprawling save behind Greiss on the goal line to deny the Panthers’ Brett Connolly in the second period of the Islanders’ 2-1 victory at Barclays Center.

“That probably was the best save of my career,” Eberle said after the game. “I thought I saw the puck dribble behind Greisser, so I had my stick back there, and then I noticed it popped up and I saw the guy coming down. It was kind of a fire drill from there. You do your best Greisser impression and try to make a save.”

Eberle, who was reunited with regular linemates Anders Lee and Mathew Barzal, had four shots on goal and was plus-1 over 14:47 of ice time.

Defenseman Nick Leddy (15:06) also was back in the lineup after missing three games with a lower-body injury.

Islanders center Casey Cizikas left the game following the second period with a leg injury after blocking an Aaron Ekblad shot earlier in the game, but coach Barry Trotz said indications are he “should be OK.”

Cizikas will be re-evaluated Monday, two days before the Islanders return to Nassau Coliseum to face former captain John Tavares and the Maple Leafs.

As the corresponding move for Eberle’s activation, the Islanders returned 2018 first-round pick Oliver Wahlstrom (11th overall) on loan to AHL Bridgeport after the winger appeared in nine games with no points. His three-year, entry-level contract will slide until next season as long as he does not appear in 10 NHL games. … Forwards Cole Bardreau and Otto Koivula also were loaned to Bridgeport.

New York Post LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160768 New York Islanders playing just 36 minutes in relief while backing up Lehner in eight games over two rounds.

Varlamov was signed from Colorado in July to a four-year deal worth $20 Thomas Greiss’ brilliance makes Islanders winners again million, but the 33-year-old Greiss — in the final season of a three-year, $10 million contract — also has been money to open the 2019-20 campaign.

Peter Botte “[Greiss] has been spectacular all year. It says a lot that we can rely on November 9, 2019 | 3:58pm two goalies,” defenseman Nick Leddy said. “He’s kept us in games and made so many big saves and that’s all you can ask.”

New York Post LOADED: 11.10.2019 The departure of Vezina Trophy finalist Robin Lehner had created some summertime uncertainty for the Islanders, but Barry Trotz couldn’t have asked for more representative play from his goaltending tandem of Thomas Greiss and Lehner’s free-agent replacement, Semyon Varlamov.

Trotz has alternated starts among his two netminders through the team’s first 16 games, and it was Greiss’ turn Saturday to make sure the Islanders got right back into the win column after their 10-game winning streak was halted earlier this week.

Greiss was fabulous in making 37 saves — and Scott Mayfield netted the go-ahead goal with 13:10 remaining — as the Isles may have started a new winning streak with a stingy 2-1 decision Saturday over Florida at Barclays Center.

“I talked to them a while ago and said let’s get through October. We’ve got points in 12 straight games, so I’m a little hesitant to change things,” Trotz said Saturday of his goalies, who have combined for a 12-3-1 record and a goals-against average of 2.11. “I have two good options. Greisser was outstanding today, and I thought Varly was outstanding last game. We just didn’t give him enough support.

“I can close my eyes and reach into a hat and pick the number. I don’t think I can make a bad choice. They’re both a big reason why we have a little streak here, a big reason why we have confidence every night that we can win with any goaltender in the net. Not a lot of teams can say that, and that’s a strength of the Islanders.”

The Isles had posted 10 consecutive victories before blowing a 3-0 lead in an overtime defeat to Pittsburgh with Varlamov between the pipes Thursday night in Brooklyn. But as he mentioned, Trotz’s team now has secured at least one point in its past dozen games (11-0-1).

Greiss won 23 of 39 starts in a timeshare last season with Lehner, who signed with the Blackhawks, and is now 7-1 with a 1.88 GAA and an NHL-best .942 save percentage through nine appearances.

“The other night was unfortunate, we should’ve had that game, but this was a good response for our group,” said Mathew Barzal, who scored a first-period PP goal and assisted on Mayfield’s game-winner in the third. “Greisser made some big stops down the stretch. What more can you say? His save percentage and goals-against has been right there at the top of the league.

“Whichever one has been in the net, both of them have been great for us. It’s nice to be able to rely on both of them.”

Barzal netted his team-best seventh goal 5:40 into the opening period, a backhanded roofer past Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky three seconds after an Isles power play had expired.

Greiss carried the shutout into the third, but the Panthers managed the equalizer on Aleksander Barkov’s man-advantage scramble sweep-in 6:12 into the final session.

The Isles retook the lead 38 seconds later, as Mayfield’s right-point shot double-deflected past Bobrovsky off two Florida players — former Rangers Brian Boyle and Anton Stralman — for the defenseman’s second goal of the season.

Greiss also received some video assistance when Barkov appeared to score again on the power play with 5:25 remaining, but it was ruled that he batted the puck into the net with a high stick.

“I thought we played hard against a very skilled team with a good power play,” Greiss said. “We played a good team game.”

Teammates were even more effusive in reciprocation for Greiss, who’d backed the Isles to a first-round playoff series win over Florida in 2016. The German-born goalie didn’t start any postseason games last year, 1160769 New York Islanders

Islanders goalie Thomas Greiss' save percentage has him atop NHL rankings

Andrew Gross

November 9, 2019 8:17 PM

Thomas Greiss is a league leader after winning his sixth straight start.

The Islanders goalie made 37 saves in Saturday’s 2-1 win over the Panthers at Barclays Center, giving him an NHL-best save percentage of .942. He lowered his goals-against average to 1.88, second in the league.

“He had Vezina numbers last year and this year he’s been doing the same thing,” center Mathew Barzal said. “Whether it’s him or Varly [Semyon Varlamov] in net, they’ve been great for us. It’s nice to be able to rely on both of our goalies.”

Added right wing Jordan Eberle, “Greisser, I think, was the main reason we won today.”

Greiss’ best save may have been getting to his right to stop Alexsander Barkov’s second-period one-timer.

Roster moves

Eberle was activated off injured reserve and rookie Oliver Wahlstrom was returned to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. Wahlstrom played nine games for the Islanders — without a point — so the first season of his entry-level contract will slide to next season if he does not play a 10th NHL game.

After the game, rookie forwards Cole Bardreau and Otto Koivula, who had been recalled earlier on Saturday, were also returned to Bridgeport. Bardreau, 26, who logged 7:25 on Saturday, had a goal and an assist in nine games in his first NHL stint.

Isles files

Coach Barry Trotz did not have an update on center Casey Cizikas, who logged just 5:45 and did not play in the third period after taking a shot off his left knee in the first period. “I think he’ll be OK,” Trotz said. “He’ll need a day or two…” Center Brock Nelson logged a team-high 24:35 and won 17-of-25 faceoffs (68 percent). Overall, the Islanders won 33-of-56 faceoffs (59 percent)…Rookie defenseman Noah Dobson and Koivula were the healthy scratches… The attendance of 13,100 marked the Islanders’ second-largest home crowd after the season-opening sellout of 13,917 at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160770 New York Islanders Defenseman Johnny Boychuk finally ended the confusion shortly before Bardreau scored his first NHL goal on a penalty shot on Tuesday. Boychuk told Bardreau his new nickname was “Tuna.”

With Jordan Eberle's return, Isles coach Barry Trotz keeps Derick Why? Brassard on the right wing No real reason, much the same way John Belushi’s “Bluto” character in “Animal House” dubbed Stephen Furst’s character, “Flounder.”

Andrew Gross Picked from the pod

November 10, 2019 1:28 AM Gritty right wing Cal Clutterbuck, who scored his first goal of the season in Tuesday night’s 4-1 win over the visiting Senators after playing in his 800th NHL game in a 1-0 win at Buffalo on Nov. 2, was the guest on Episode 6 of Island Ice, Newsday’s Islanders’ podcast. Barry Trotz put off the decision, at least for now. Among the topics covered were Clutterbuck’s impressions on the The Islanders coach had right wing Jordan Eberle available for Islanders’ start to the season, how he’s adjusted to not playing Saturday’s matinee against the Panthers at Barclays Center after he had consistently with longtime linemates Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas, how missed 10 games with a lower-body issue. So, Trotz inserted Eberle right he developed his agitating playing style and his impressions when he first back into his usual spot on Mathew Barzal’s top line along with captain came to the Islanders from the Wild. Anders Lee. Also, Clutterbuck explained what makes this team so tight knit and how Yet, Trotz also kept natural center Derick Brassard on Brock Nelson’s he tries to help the younger players as a veteran. right wing, where he’s thrived offensively rather than immediately move him back into the middle. Brassard struggled as the third-line center at “This is not a group like I’ve had before and you don’t really know until the start of the season as he tried to balance his defensive you’re a part of one,” Clutterbuck said. “You watch these guys come into responsibilities within the team’s system and his offensive instincts. their own and it teaches you a lot about being an older guy and what our role as older guys should be in their lives. I think there’s a genuine “Oh, yeah, for sure,” Trotz said about the difficulty of his ultimate interest between the older guys and the younger guys, just to make sure decision. “Brass has played well there. The great thing is, he can play that everyone is taken care of. When there’s a genuine care from both different positions as well. That may be the case.” sides to make each other better, I think it’s just fun.” Trotz accommodated keeping Brassard on right wing by using Josh Back and forth Bailey, who had been playing on Barzal’s right wing with Eberle out, on Casey Cizikas’ left wing on the team’s identity line with Cal Clutterbuck. Goalies Semyon Varlamov and Thomas Greiss have alternated starts since the start of the season. Per the NHL, only two other teams in But versatile forward Leo Komarov, who had been used as a center league history have had goalies alternate starts during a winning streak before his extended absence because of a combination of illness and of 10 games or more: neck soreness, is also on the verge of returning. And left wing Matt Martin, whose usual spot is on Cizikas’ left wing, is also prepping for his 1970-71 – Boston Bruins 10-0-0: Eddie Johnston and Gerry Cheevers return. 1983-84 – Buffalo Sabres 10-0-0: Bob Sauve and Tom Barrasso That must all be accounted for as Trotz decides where it’s best to play Brassard in the long term. Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.10.2019

Brassard had a career-high five game goal streak snapped in Tuesday night’s 4-1 win over the Senators at Barclays Center, coinciding with his first five games on Nelson’s line.

“The biggest thing with him moving to the wing is I think he’s a responsible person, he understands how we play,” Trotz said. “I think he was making sure he was sound defensively. Maybe that natural offensive instinct that he has, I wouldn’t say was stifled, but maybe he was thinking, ‘I’m just going to do the right plays.’”

Brassard, who signed a one-year, $1.2 million deal after bouncing between the Penguins, Panthers and Avalanche last season, doesn’t discount that he is playing a freer game on the wing in terms of letting his instincts take over.

But all he wanted when joining the Islanders was a steady role after struggling through a disjointed last season. He believes he’s found it regardless of whether he’s at center or right wing.

“I never really doubted myself,” Brassard said. “I came here having the opportunity to be successful and I think what makes a really good fit for me is we’re using everyone. Everyone is important to the team. Everyone has a role and that’s a great feeling to be around.”

Comparing the ice

Heard in the Islanders’ room as to the difference between the ice quality at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum and Barclays Center: The Coliseum ice tends to be sticky at the beginning of the game and improve over the three periods. In Brooklyn, the ice quality is better at the start and worsens over the length of the game.

Boychuk dubs thee

There was confusion on the Islanders’ bench. Too often as the coaches called out the line changes, Barzal’s nickname, “Barzy,” was getting confused with Cole Bardreau’s “Bardy.” 1160771 New York Islanders

With Jordan Eberle, Nick Leddy returning to the lineup, Islanders beat Panthers

Islanders players celebrate a goal by center Mathew Islanders players celebrate a goal by center Mathew

Andrew Gross

November 9, 2019 11:21 PM

The Islanders had blown a three-goal third-period lead in their previous game as their 10-game winning streak was snapped. They knew they needed to show more resiliency in Saturday’s matinee at Barclays Center after the Panthers tied the score in the third period.

“Our response after that goal, that told me a lot about this group,” Islanders coach Barry Trotz said.

Defenseman Scott Mayfield scored to regain the lead 38 seconds later and the Islanders, thanks to a brilliant 37-save effort by Thomas Greiss, extended their point streak to 11-0-1 with a 2-1 victory.

The Islanders had lost to the Penguins, 4-3, in overtime on Thursday to end the second-longest winning streak in team history.

“It was a nice response by our team,” said center Mathew Barzal, who scored his team-leading seventh goal, took a team-high five shots and played 5:25 out of a possible six minutes on the Islanders’ 0-for-3 power play. “We had the lead going into the third period. We know we didn’t want to lose it there. They got one back on the power play and we got one on the next shift. That shift after a goal is huge.”

Alexsander Barkov’s power-play goal at 6:12 of the third period tied the score at 1-1. But Mayfield threw the puck on net from the right and it bounced off Brian Boyle and defenseman Anton Stralman and past Sergei Bobrovsky for the winner at 6:50.

Barkov had an apparent second power-play goal waved off at 14:35 of the third period because he backhanded the puck with a high stick.

Barzal, showing patience as he moved across the crease and lifted a backhander, had given the Islanders a 1-0 lead at 5:40 of the first period, seconds after the Islanders’ first power play expired.

The Islanders (12-3-1) had Jordan Eberle back in the lineup after the top- line right wing missed 10 games. He hurt his right leg in a 3-2 shootout win over the Panthers on Oct. 12 at NYCB Live’s Nassau Coliseum that started this 12-game point streak.

Defenseman Nick Leddy also returned after sitting out three games with a lower-body issue.

But sparkplug center Casey Cizikas did not play in the third period after taking a shot off his left knee in the first period.

“You look at the end of the game, just the commitment level, it’s high everywhere,” said Eberle, who logged 14:47 with four shots. “Blocking shots, holding pucks in the corners for 15, 20 seconds. That’s the commitment level we have as a team and that’s how we won last year and that’s how we’re winning this year.”

Eberle also contributed one of the best saves of the game. Certainly, he agreed, the best save of his career.

Evgenii Dadonov rocketed a shot off the crossbar and Eberle, positioning himself behind Greiss, got low and used his chest to stop Brett Connolly’s close-range attempt at 11:45 of the second period.

“Just kind of in my head I was saying, ‘There’s no way we’re losing this game’ my first one back,’” Eberle said.

“Not too many times you want your right winger behind your goalie but, in that case, that was a really good position by him,” Trotz added. “That’s sort of the strength of this group. This group understands there’s going to be things that break down when you’re playing against top players in the world. That’s when you need those second efforts, that commitment.”

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160772 New York Rangers New York Post LOADED: 11.10.2019

What David Quinn thinks is holding back Rangers’ Brady Skjei

Mollie Walker

November 10, 2019 | 12:11am

A lot has changed for Brady Skjei in just one year.

But when coach David Quinn told the 25-year-old defenseman that he wouldn’t be dressing for the Rangers’ Thursday matchup against the Hurricanes, Skjei eerily found himself in the same position he was in around this time a year ago. However, though his struggles with consistency have carried over from last season, it’s worth noting that Skjei’s role with the Rangers couldn’t be more different.

Last year, Skjei — selected by the Rangers with the 28th-overall pick in the 2012 draft — was one of the youngest defensemen with the likes of Adam McQuaid, Cody McLeod and Kevin Shattenkirk anchoring the Rangers’ back end. Though he had two full seasons under his belt, as well as seven games in 2015-16, Skjei was pegged with inexperience.

The offseason saw the Rangers abide by their plan to bring in heaps of young talent to develop. By doing so, they had to sacrifice a handful of veterans, which has cast Skjei into an entirely different light. And he says there’s been a lot of “ups and downs” as he continues to navigate this shift in his career.

“It’s not fun, definitely not,” Skjei told The Post about being a healthy scratch Thursday. “It definitely motivates you to get back into the lineup. I think I need to play better for sure and I think the motivation factor is definitely there [after] sitting out. Hopefully I’ll be back really soon.”

Quinn already assured that Skjei, who was initially benched after a lackluster individual performance in the 5-1 win over Detroit on Wednesday, would be back in the lineup for Sunday’s matchup against the Panthers. Quinn said that he knows the Minnesota native is “eager” to get back, but the second-year head coach recalled how well Skjei bounced back after a stretch of scratches last season and is confident that it will happen again.

Skjei was a healthy scratch four times last year, with back-to-back games in street clothes at the end of last November. But he followed it up with a strong second half of the season, netting five goals and six assists after the All-Star game.

“Just more confidence and more thoroughness,” Quinn said of what he’s looking to see out of Skjei in his return. “I’ve said this about him a lot, he loses his confidence because he cares so much. I know it might sound a little crazy but he does. When he’s just dialed in and playing a little angry and not worrying about what other people think, he’s a very good player.”

Through the first 13 games of the season, Skjei — who the Rangers owe $5.25 million for the next five years, including this season — has accumulated just five points (one goal, four assists). He’s been a repeat offender in the penalty box with 14 penalty minutes and is averaging 19:53 of ice time.

Following a near 40-point season (39) in 2016-17, the expectations for Skjei soared exponentially. Since then, the lefty defenseman has struggled to maintain that kind of production, making his ineffectiveness on the ice at times that much more glaring.

His inconsistent play may be at the forefront of his weaknesses, but Skjei told The Post that he thinks he needs to get back to utilizing his strong skating abilities, which he considers to be his best asset.

Skjei said he sees a noticeable difference in his game when he’s playing confidently and without fear of making mistakes.

“I’ve got to find a way to get back to that,” he said.

“I think I’m a player that bounces back,” Skjei said. “I think I’ve always been coachable, it’s kind of been a strength of mine. It happened last year as well, so I think I bounced back pretty well and it should be the same [this time around].” 1160773 New York Rangers

Outdoor practice remains ‘something special’ for Rangers

Mollie Walke

November 9, 2019 | 7:01PM

The brisk air has officially befallen New York, and the Rangers welcomed the chill, along with a crowd of fans, during an open practice on Saturday in Central Park.

Not even a bitter breeze could sour the day for the Rangers, who had their friends and family congregate at Lasker Rink to enjoy the way hockey was originally played, outdoors. Season ticket holders filled the stands and other fans congregated by the fence to catch a glimpse of their 2019-20 Rangers.

“I mean, you compare this to going to the practice rink like we do every day, this is, I think, exciting for everyone,” Henrik Lundqvist said after practice concluded. “Just to try something new. Just being out on an outdoor rink is a cool experience, but also to have the fans here on a great sunny day in Central Park, I really enjoy it. It doesn’t get old to me. I appreciate what the organization does for us players and also for the fans, try to do something special.”

Lundqvist mentioned how, despite most hockey players growing up and skating on outdoor rinks, it always means just a little more to do it at the professional level. He took notice of how loose the team was while practicing in the outdoor setting, noting that these are the times for players to soak it all in.

“I think it reminds you a little bit of why you started playing,” Lundqvist said. “You can see during practice a lot of laughter, a lot of ‘enjoy the moment’ type of thing, and then in the end [coach David Quinn] kind of ‘let’s reset the last 10 minutes and get going.’ ”

Quinn was determined to make sure the outdoor practice was productive for the 7-6 Rangers, as they prepare to face the Panthers on Sunday.

“It was fun, it was a balancing act of having some fun and getting something accomplished,” Quinn said. “It’s a great environment to be out here with, but I think as a player you lose your focus just a little bit. I thought we dialed in a little bit for that last drill and felt like we got something accomplished.”

The Rangers announced Marc Staal underwent surgery on his ankle Friday night after he had contracted an infection.

The veteran defenseman is going to be sidelined for at least two weeks before the team re-evaluates him. Quinn said the infection “came on pretty quickly” and stemmed from a shot he blocked a few weeks ago.

“He was very fortunate to get to the hospital and have it taken care of,” Quinn said.

Mika Zibanejad is officially out for Sunday’s matchup with the Panthers and is still considered day to day, per Quinn.

No. 93, who is still battling an upper body injury he sustained from a hit in their loss to the Bruins on Oct. 27, skated on Friday but the Rangers elected to keep him off the ice Saturday. Quinn said it’s like Zibanejad “takes a step forward and then a step back.”

New York Post LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160774 New York Rangers Star before going to Montreal, where he won the Hart Trophy. Neither Ripley nor Burmister made an appreciable impact during their respective short stays in New York.

The late Dean Prentice highlights lopsided Rangers-Bruins trade history 7. March 2000: Mike Knuble to the Bruins for Rob DiMaio.

Knuble, acquired from the Red Wings entering the 1998-99 season, simply could not establish himself on Broadway (24-25-49 in 141 games) Larry Brooks despite getting opportunities to play with Wayne Gretzky and Adam Graves his first year and Niklas Sundstrom and Petr Nedved his second November 9, 2019 | 5:17PM season. But after leaving New York, Knuble emerged as one of the league’s most productive power wingers (243-236-479 in 851 games) while DiMaio rang up one goal and two assists in 12 career games So I was thinking about Dean Prentice, the outstanding left winger who wearing the Blueshirt. skated on a line with on the right and Larry Popein in the middle on some pretty good Rangers teams in the latter part of the 8. May 1976: Rick Middleton to the Bruins for Ken Hodge. 1950s, and who passed away at age 87 on Nov. 2. Seriously, need one say more about this one other than it stands as New I wasn’t thinking that he belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame, though in a York hockey’s version of Jay Buhner for Ken Phelps? Even Frank bit I will establish a comparative standard that would certainly seem to Costanza believes John Ferguson’s deal (under the prodding of Phil indicate that No. 17 has been done wrong by a succession of HHOF Esposito) was worse. selection committees. OK, now the Prentice HHOF case. The winger, who played through Rather, I was thinking about the trade that sent the winger to the Bruins 1973-74, retired with 860 points (391-469) in 1,378 games, for .624 for Don McKenney, a fine center, on Feb. 4, 1963, in the midst of a points per game. His name is never mentioned when the annual balloting typical early-’60s Original Six season in which the NHL’s only two U.S.- rolls around. based Northeast teams both missed the playoffs in six of the decade’s Yet winger Dick Duff, a contemporary, was inducted into the Hall in 2006 first seven years. after a career in which he recorded 572 points (283-289) in 1,030 games, And I was thinking not only how that trade wasn’t exactly a winner for the for .555 ppg.pren Blueshirts, but how the Bruins have seemingly gotten the best of the It makes little sense, except that Duff won six Stanley Cups with Toronto Rangers in just about every deal between the clubs that I could recall. and Montreal while Prentice won none while skating for the Rangers, Guess what? Until Jeff Gorton had baubles to offer the B’s leading up to Bruins, Red Wings, Penguins and North Stars. the 2018 deadline purge, Boston pretty much had run the table. But how many do you think each would have won if they’d exchanged As follows, ranked from best to worst, the good one or two, the bad, very sweaters throughout their respective careers? bad and worst of the eight significant trades between the franchises: Duff, of course, played in New York for a brief time, obtained as part of 1. February 2018: Rick Nash to the Bruins for Ryan Lindgren, a 2018 the package from Toronto for Bathgate in February 1964. He recorded 20 first-rounder, a 2019 seventh-rounder, Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey. points (7-13) in 42 games as a Ranger before he was sent to Montreal for Bill Hicke 10 months later. Pending free agent Nash sustained what became the final concussion of his career in Boston before retiring for medical reasons following the So maybe we can infer. season. The Rangers, meanwhile, not only netted Lindgren, who is fast New York Post LOADED: 11.10.2019 impressing folks in New York, but K’Andre Miller by virtue of an ensuing draft-day deal that included the previously owned Boston first-rounder.

2. February 2018: Nick Holden to the Bruins for Rob O’Gara and a 2018 third-rounder.

The draft choice became Joey Keane, a potential part of the future on the blue line gained for a transitory part of the past on his way to free agency.

3. November 1975: Brad Park, Jean Ratelle and Joe Zanussi to the Bruins for Phil Esposito and Carol Vadnais.

On the ice, it honestly wasn’t all that terrible, the Rangers getting to one post-trade losing Cup final in 1979, the B’s reaching two in 1977 and 1978. But according to the heart, it was the day the music died and never, ever should have happened.

4. February 1963: Prentice to the Bruins for McKenney and Dick Meissner.

From 1955-56 through 1961-62, Prentice was 10th in the NHL with 358 points (163 goals). McKenney was seventh with 387 points (159 goals), per Hockey-Reference. But while Prentice continued to be productive after the deal, McKenney recorded just 50 points (17 goals) in 76 games before he was sent to the Maple Leafs a year later in the Bathgate trade.

5. January 1966: John McKenzie to the Bruins for Reg Fleming.

True enough, Fleming was a fan favorite and a reasonably important part of ’ first three playoff teams, but Pie became an integral part of the Animalistic team wearing the spoked-B that won two Cups in the early ’70s while scoring 28 goals or more in four straight years on the line with Fred Stanfield at center and John Bucyk on the left.

6. December 1933: Babe Siebert to the Bruins for Vic Ripley and Roy Burmister.

When the Rangers shipped out Siebert, he was a fading winger. The Bruins moved him full-time to defense, where he became a first-team All- 1160775 New York Rangers Second pair → Brady Skjei (L) and Tony DeAngelo (R) Third pair → Ryan Lindgren (L) and Adam Fox (R)

Goalies NY Rangers projected lineup: Marc Staal has ankle surgery; Brady Skjei re-enters Starter → Henrik Lundqvist

Backup → Alexandar Georgiev

Vincent Z. Mercogliano Will not play (healthy scratches): Micheal Haley

4:11 p.m. ET Nov. 9, 2019 Injured: Marc Staal (ankle) and Mika Zibanejad (upper body)

Game notes

NEW YORK - The Rangers have been without one of their alternate How to watch/listen: 1 p.m. ET — TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 1050 captains for two weeks, with Mika Zibanejad still nursing an upper body AM). injury that will keep him out for Sunday's 1 p.m. home game against the Florida Panthers. All-time series: 55-30-6-7 (28-15-4-2 at home; 27-15-2-5 on the road)

Now they'll be without another, with the team announcing Saturday that Scoring spree: The Blueshirts have registered at least three goals in veteran defenseman Marc Staal had surgery on an infection in his ankle each of their last eight meetings against Florida, including four or more that stemmed from "a blocked shot from a few weeks ago." goals in six of those eight games (34 goals in the eight contests).

"He’s going to be out for at least two weeks and then we’ll reevaluate," Hot Hank: Henrik Lundqvist is the Blueshirts’ all-time leader in coach David Quinn said following an outdoor practice at Lasker Rink in appearances (40), wins (26) and shutouts (five) against the Panthers. Central Park. "It came on pretty quickly, within 24 hours after Since he entered the NHL in 2005-06, Lundqvist has registered more (Thursday's) game. ... He was very fortunate to get to the hospital and wins against Florida than any other goaltender in the league. He's posted have it taken care of." a 26-10-3 record with a 2.10 GAA, .929 SV % and five shutouts.

Quinn said the Rangers won't call up another defenseman from the State of Art-temi: Artemi Panarin enters the contest with a seven-game minors, which leaves them with six on the active roster, three of which point streak (four goals and six assists) and a three-game goal streak. He are rookies — Ryan Lindgren, Adam Fox and Libor Hájek. leads the Rangers in goals (eight) and points (16) this season. Over the last 25 seasons (since 1994-95), Panarin is one of five Rangers who They had been rotating seven D-men since Lindgren was called up two have recorded at least eight goals and eight assists in the first 14 games weeks ago, with Staal being scratched for three games in a row prior to of a season, joining Mark Messier (1995-96), Theo Fleury (2000-01), playing in the last two. Jaromir Jagr (2005-06) and Marian Gaborik (2009-10).

"We're confident in all of our guys," Quinn said. "Those guys have played Bergen Record LOADED: 11.10.2019 well. I thought (Adam Fox) and Lindgren were really good against Carolina (on Thursday). Fox has obviously had a really good start, and Lindgren has stepped in and played well every time he's been out there, so we’re confident in our 'D' corps."

Lindgren was the odd-man out for Wednesday's 5-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings, but he returned to the lineup for Thursday's 4-2 win over the Hurricanes.

In a somewhat surprising move, it was 25-year-old Brady Skjei who was scratched in favor of Lindgren for that game, with Quinn saying Skjei, "needs to play better."

"I've said this a lot about him a lot — he loses his confidence because he cares so much," Quinn said of Skjei. "I know that may sound a little crazy, but he does. When he's just dialed in and playing a little angry, and not worrying about what people think, he's a very good player."

Now Skjei will return to the lineup, paired with Tony DeAngelo, and be counted on to fill Staal's void. Lindgren and Fox will remain paired together, as will Hájek and Jacob Trouba.

"Brady's eager to get back (Sunday) and he'll certainly play," Quinn said. "He went a little bit through this last year and he came back with a strong second half. I'm anticipating a great response out of him."

Projected lineup: Nov. 10 vs. Florida Panthers

NOTE: This lineup is based on Saturday's practice and is subject to change.

Forwards

First line → Artemi Panarin (LW) – Ryan Strome (C) – (RW)

Second line → (LW) – Filip Chytil (C) – Pavel Buchnevich (RW)

Third line → Brendan Lemieux (LW) – Brett Howden (C) – Kaapo Kakko (RW)

Fourth line → Greg McKegg (LW) – Lias Andersson (C) – Brendan Smith (RW)

Defense

First pair → Libor Hájek (L) and Jacob Trouba (R) 1160776 New York Rangers

Rangers' Brady Skjei expects to be better when he returns to lineup Sunday

Colin Stephenson

November 10, 2019 2:00 AM

After the Rangers’ outdoor practice at Central Park’s Lasker Rink on Saturday, former high school quarterback Brady Skjei grinned ear to ear as he grabbed a few rolled-up T-shirts and chucked them at fans standing on the grass.

The 25-year-old defenseman’s face turned serious, though, when he was asked to talk about being scratched from the lineup in the Rangers’ last game, a 4-2 road win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.

“No,’’ he said when asked if he was shocked to be scratched. “I think I need to be better.

“To stay in the lineup, I need to be playing well. And I think the last two games [Monday and Wednesday], I took a little step back. I definitely want to get back in soon.’’

He will. The Rangers announced Saturday that defenseman Marc Staal had surgery Friday to address an infection in his ankle. He will be re- evaluated in two weeks, the team said.

Coach David Quinn said the Rangers won’t immediately recall a defenseman from AHL Hartford, meaning the team has only six healthy defensemen on the roster, not counting Brendan Smith, who has been playing as a forward on the fourth line. That means Skjei will draw back into the lineup Sunday afternoon when the Rangers host the Florida Panthers at Madison Square Garden.

Quinn said he expects Skjei to be a better player when he returns.

“He went, a little bit, through this last year [Skjei was scratched for two games in mid-November last season], and he came back and had a strong second half,’’ Quinn said. “I’m anticipating a great response out of him [Sunday].’’

Skjei was asked if sitting out for a game can help him be better.

“It motivates you to get back in the lineup,’’ he said. “You can sit back and watch and kind of learn a few things. But the main part is I’ve got to step it up, and it definitely motivates me to get back in the lineup.’’

Skjei, who said he watches all of his shifts in every game to try to find ways to improve, was asked exactly what needs to be improved.

“My all-around game, I think, can be a little better,’’ he said. “I think you start skating more. That’s probably the best part of my game, is, you know, my feet. Usually, that gets me out of a lot of trouble. So just start moving my feet more and skate as much as I can.’’

Quinn said he hopes to see a more confident Skjei on Sunday.

“I’ve said this about him a lot: He loses his confidence because he cares so much. And I know that may sound a little crazy, but he does,’’ Quinn said. “And you know, when he’s just dialed in and playing a little angry, and not worrying what people think, he’s a very good player.’’

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160777 New York Rangers

Rangers' Mika Zibanejad doesn't practice, will miss sixth straight game

Colin Stephenson

November 10, 2019 2:02 AM

Mika Zibanejad did not take part in the Rangers’ practice at Lasker Rink in Central Park on Saturday and will miss his sixth straight game Sunday with an upper-body injury.

Zibanejad, the team’s No. 1 center, has been sidelined since exiting late in the first period against Boston on Oct. 27 after taking a high hit from Patrice Bergeron. The Rangers said that night that Zibanejad’s status was day-to-day. Coach David Quinn said after the game that Zibanejad had not suffered a concussion. He said a few days later that the injury was more involving the neck.

Zibanejad started skating last week and progressed to the point that he participated in Wednesday’s morning skate, though he wore a red no- contact jersey.

Asked Saturday if he could elaborate on Zibanejad’s status, Quinn said, “It’s just an upper-body [injury] that, you know, takes a step forward and then it’s a step back . . . I know we all want more definitive answers, but it’s day-to-day.’’

Staal out at least two weeks

Defenseman Marc Staal had surgery Friday night because of an infection in his ankle that “came on pretty quickly,’’ according to Quinn. He added, “He’s going to be out for at least two weeks and then we’ll re-evaluate.’’

Quinn said the infection was the result of an injury from a blocked shot several weeks ago. It had been sore and it got worse after Thursday’s 4- 2 road win over the Hurricanes. Staal played 16:56 in that game and was credited with two blocked shots.

Staal was playing a second consecutive night, having returned to the lineup in Wednesday’s 5-1 win over Detroit. He played 18:19 against the Red Wings and blocked four shots. Before that, he had sat out three straight games as a healthy scratch, though now it appears he wasn’t fully healthy.

Quinn said the Rangers won’t be calling up a defenseman from AHL Hartford at this point. Brady Skjei, who was scratched Thursday, will return to the lineup Sunday.

Lundqvist in net again

Henrik Lundqvist, who stopped 80 of 83 shots in winning back-to-back games Wednesday and Thursday, will start in goal Sunday afternoon against Florida, Quinn said.

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1160778 Ottawa Senators Don’t look now but the Ottawa Senators have won five of their last eight games.

“That’s huge,” said defenceman Dylan DeMelo, who played 19:42 with GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Senators weather storm to beat 29 shifts. “Any time you’re playing with the lead, you’re not chasing the Hurricanes game as much. To get a three-goal lead is great, but at the same time there’s a lot of time left in the game, and teams push back and you have to weather the storm. I thought we did a good job of locking things up.”

Bruce Garrioch Namestnikov got the first of the record goals, scoring at 16:47 when he tipped a Tyler Ennis shot by Reimer in the slot to make it 2-0. Then, right November 9, 2019 11:16 PM EST off the faceoff, Pageau, who has a career-high four goals in four straight games, fired one by Reimer at 16:51 to give the Senators three-goal lead. Carolina was back on its heels and the Senators were working hard The Ottawa Senators are on a roll and they’re headed in the right to use their speed. direction. This game had just about everything. There were 16 minutes in penalties There’s no place like home and the Senators have finally been able to in the first five minutes, including winger Namestnikov dropping the string two wins together for the first time this season, scoring a slick 4-1 gloves with Carolina winger Ryan Dzingel. According to victory over the Carolina Hurricanes on Saturday night at the Canadian hockeyfights.com, that was only seventh fight of Namestnikov’s NHL Tire Centre. career and his first since he fought Dallas’ Dan Hamhuis on Nov. 16, 2017. Coupled with their 3-2 overtime victory over the Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night, the club has won two straight for the first time since The Senators also had scoring punch, and Chlapik scored his first of the March 26 last season. It was also the Senators’ third consecutive win on season at 9:34 with some great work by the fourth line. Belleville callup home ice. Goaltender Anders Nilsson was solid with 38 stops and it was Jonathan Davidsson showed great speed going to the net and Chlapik his third straight win in his last three starts. was there to put the rebound home on Reimer with a backhander. Davidsson and J.C. Beaudin both picked up their first NHL points with The sizzling Jean-Gabriel Pageau, along with wingers Vladislav assists. Namestnikov and Filip Chlapik, were able to beat Carolina goalie James Reimer in the first period while Brady Tkachuk put it away in the third. “It looks like the guys are having fun,” Smith said. “They’re playing hard, Only Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov was able to solve Nilsson as the we practise hard and we’re starting to get that belief a little bit more that Senators moved their record to 5-4-0 at home. we can play with some of these teams. Carolina, any given night, can outskate anyone in this league, and that’s a big win for us.” The Senators had to weather the storm in the third period. As the Hurricanes pushed back hard to try to erase a two-goal deficit, Ottawa WHITE RETURNS refused to surrender. Yes, the Senators gave up 13 shots, but coach D.J. Smith noted afterward that they didn’t give up many quality chances as Colin White’s stay in Belleville was short and sweet. the prepare to face the Hurricanes on Monday night at PNC Arena in Not long after he had two assists, three shots and was plus-three in the Raleigh. club’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Syracuse Crunch on Friday night, the “That’s the NHL, you get a lead and the other team pushes back, and I club’s centre returned to Ottawa because he’s completely healthy and thought in the third period we limited them to not very much,” said Smith. the Senators needed someone else in the middle with Artem Anisimov “They’re a team that gets a lot of shots and I thought we were pretty good back on the shelf with a groin injury. in the defensive zone, but the chances they did have I thought (Nilsson) White missed seven games with a groin/hip flexor injury before suiting up was great.” in the AHL. Tkachuk was able to bury the puck on a pass from Anthony Duclair with Ideally, the Senators wanted White to play for Belleville in back-to-back 4:06 left in the third to open up a three-goal advantage for the Senators. games in Syracuse and Saturday night in Hartford, however, White was Going to the net, he tried to deke Reimer and the puck appeared to back with the club Saturday morning in Ottawa and was in the lineup bounce off Dougie Hamilton and into the net. It was Tkachuk’s fifth of the against the Hurricanes. Namestnikov was at centre on Friday in practice, season and the timing was perfect. but the Senators didn’t want to go that route in a game. “It’s huge for confidence, especially to put together two wins in a row, but “With having so many centres out we may have played him another as I said before in this league the games come tight and it’s a new game game down there but he’s been ready for five days we just didn’t have on Monday,” said Nilsson. “You only have to enjoy this game tonight and practice time for him,” coach Smith told reporters before facing Carolina. you have to push the reset button before you go to sleep.” “With him getting one game and us needing him, this is a good time to The Senators got off to a good start, but the Hurricanes did get on the call him up.” board in the second period and closed the gap to 3-1. Through 40 The 22-year-old White said he resumed skating earlier this week and felt minutes, Carolina had outshot Ottawa 25-21, but Nilsson had done a good about getting the chance to play in the AHL before stepping into the good job shutting the door for the most part and made the stops when action here. the club needed them the most. “It was good to get my feet back under me and it was pretty fun game to Make no mistake, the Senators were full value for their two-goal lead. play,” White said. “I got to play with (Drake) Batherson and (Vitaly The club was working hard and working smart. That’s what Smith has )Abramov and they’re both good players. We had some good chemistry been trying to make sure the Senators do every night since he got here and it was pretty fun. and the effort level is where it needs to be. Ottawa is also showing signs of consistency, and that’s the element it needs the most. “It felt good to get the game under me and get some of my timing back and the feel for the puck. I got to carry it a lot and a lot of touches. It’ll be The Hurricanes didn’t get on the board until the 21st shot that Nilsson a lot easier to come in after that. It was a good for me.” faced. It came on a blast by Svechnikov from the left circle at 10:58 of the second with Carolina on the power play. The last time White suited up was Oct. 17 when he played 17:08 against the Arizona Coyotes on the road. He left the club’s road trip, returned to The first period may have been the best the Senators have played this Ottawa and the early indications were he’d be out two-to-four weeks as a season. Not only did they pull to a commanding 3-0 lead on the 15 shots result of the ailment. they fired at Reimer, they set a franchise record for the fastest two goals by scoring only four seconds apart, breaking the old mark of eight He said Saturday he originally suffered the groin injury in training camp in seconds. September but he opted to play through it.

The Senators are making a habit of scoring quickly against the Canes. Ryan Dzingel vs Vladislav Namestnikov from the Carolina Hurricanes at Pageau and Rudolfs Balcers were the last ones to tie the old club mark Ottawa Senators game on Nov 9, 2019 https://t.co/Z88dJOMr45 of eight seconds, with those goals coming against Carolina last season on Jan. 6. “I actually got hurt in the pre-season with the groin and then I felt it more as the games went on,” he said. “In Arizona, I really felt it. I needed that time because I knew I couldn’t play anymore. I couldn’t even skate.

“You always to play, especially early in the season when you work hard to prepare, so it’s good to be back. Any time you get hurt, it’s never fun, but like I said I’m 100 per cent now so just move on.”

OFF THE GLASS

A big reason Nick Paul has made the NHL full-time is a decision to focus on improving during the summer. He bought a place in Estero, Fla., two years ago and heads there in the off-season to train to get ready for camp. It’s the home of the ECHL’s and Paul attends The Hockey Summit school there. It’s a full day with breakfast, workouts, lunch and then work with the training staff in the afternoon. “It’s basically just like you’re back in season. You come to the rink, eat, skate and get work done.” said Paul “I definitely wanted to switch it up. I was living in Toronto, it was really hectic with a lot going on and you can get caught up in that. I just needed a breath of fresh air and I just felt I needed a new start. I love it down there. The biggest thing is recovery and I feel great.” … Smith has been impressed with the role veteran blueliner Ron Hainsey has played. “What Ron does on a daily basis is steady the group,” Smith said. “Win, lose or good game, bad game, he doesn’t fluctuate how acts in the dressing room. He doesn’t ride the wave. He’s a true professional and he’s learned to be a great pro. Our young guys probably watch him and just see how it happens. He probably doesn’t skate as good as he did when he was younger, but he knows where to stand and make the right plays.”

THE LAST WORDS

Centre Logan Brown, who has been out a week with an upper-body injury, was on the ice with a non-contact jersey on Saturday with Rudolfs Balcers along with scratches Bobby Ryan, Mikkel Boedker and Cody Goloubef. Smith wasn’t sure if Brown is going to be able to make the two- game road trip with the club that starts Sunday. “We’re going to see how he is,” Brown said. “Hopefully he’ll practice with us (Sunday). If he does we’ll see how close he is. I haven’t talked to the trainer but he’s obviously a lot closer.” … The decision by Carolina to start backup James Reimer wasn’t a surprise because he went into the game with a 15-5-3 lifetime record against the Senators with a 2.49 goals-against average and .928 save-percentage. He’s had a lot of success over the years in Ottawa. “I’m not really big on that type of thing,” said Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour. “We’ve got two guys and they’ve got to play. He hasn’t played in awhile and we’ve got to keep him sharp because we’re going to need both of them.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160779 Philadelphia Flyers “I loved our third period,” Vigneault explained. “We had the better looks, but their goaltender made some unreal saves, especially those three rebound chances. We should have made it 3-1, but they made it 2-2. Overtime they were the better team, but we won it in a shootout. It was a Flyers burn Leafs, 3-2, as Sean Couturier seals it again in a shootout great hockey game.”

What’s next by Ed Barkowitz, After the game, the Flyers hustled out of ScotiaBank Arena and jetted down to Boston for Sunday night’s game against the Bruins, who figure

to be a little salty after losing to lowly Detroit on Friday night. TORONTO -- Sean Couturier did it again Saturday night. The Flyers took two of three games last season against Boston, which For the third time in eight days, Couturier scored the game-winner after represented the East in the Stanley Cup Final. Travis Sanheim scored in regulation as the Flyers beat the Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-2, in a shootout. overtime to snap a four-game Flyers’ losing streak at TD Garden. The It was arguably their most important win of the season as Couturier beat Flyers haven’t won in regulation in Boston since Oct. 6, 2011 (a span of Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen in the one-on-one. 11 games). Jake Voracek had the game-winner that night in what was his first game as a Flyer. “To come out with a road win like that ... They’re not pretty. You know the opponent is going to be on their 'A' game at home,” said Travis Boston lost on Friday to a Detroit team that had been 1-11-2 in its last 14. Konecny, who had another strong night. “We just have to find a way to Each player on the Bruins’ top line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, hold them off and create opportunities and finish.” and David Pastrnak, which is arguably the best in hockey, was a minus- 2. Boston is 7-0-1 at home this year. If you’re watching this, it’s too late. “It’s a tough weekend,” Couturier said. “Two great teams. We got two The Flyers seem to show improvement each game, but road wins have points tonight, but there’s two points up for grabs tomorrow. We’ll have to been hard to come by this season. They scored the game’s first two be ready to skate and limit that first line. They seem to be rolling. We goals, but Toronto tied it in the third to send it to the extra action. have to be ready.”

Flyers goalie Brian Elliott made 38 saves, including a clutch blocker stop of a William Nylander shot while the Flyers were shorthanded at the end of overtime. Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.10.2019

Andersen also was magnificent for the Leafs, stopping 30 shots.

The Flyers needed extra time for the fourth time in their last five games. They have won three, with Couturier notching all three winners. He scored in overtime on Thursday to beat Montreal and captured shootout goals with nifty moves to beat New Jersey on Nov. 1 and Toronto on Saturday.

“I guess that’s the way it goes sometimes,” Couturier said. “A few opportunities, and we’re capitalizing on them right now. Hopefully we can keep it going.”

The Flyers improve to 9-5-2 overall (20 points), 3-4-1 on the road.

The two Flyers goals in the first period were by 23-year-old Oskar Lindblom on the power-play and 22-year-old Phil Myers, who scored for the second game in a row. For Lindblom, it was his eighth goal of the season. Last year, he scored goal No. 8 in game No. 55.

But Andersen shutdown the Flyers until Claude Giroux scored with a slapshot during the shootout.

Frederik Andersen on Claude Giroux going full clapper in the shootout: "Maybe it was frustration from last time and they ran out of ideas. It worked this time."

The second line of Lindlom-Couturier-Konecny continues to flourish, even with Couturier limited by a shoulder strain.

“Again tonight, he played extremely well,” coach said. “I can’t use him on faceoffs, quite yet, but he’s doing everything else in the game. He’s playing a strong 200-foot game, very dependable. That line tonight, they got some unreal looks. They’re playing extremely well.”

The Leafs lost second-leading scorer Mitch Marner after he tumbled awkwardly on his right ankle after getting tangled up with Carsen Twarynski on the faceoff to start the second period.

One of Elliott’s other top saves came on a Leafs shorthanded chance when the puck hopped over Ivan Provorov’s stick right to Ilya Mikheyev. Elliott closed the five hole just in time.

“Thank God we found a way to get a win for Moose tonight,” Couturier said, referring to Elliott.

Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) tries a wrap around on Flyers goaltender Brian Elliott (37) as Flyers defenseman Ivan Provorov (9) and Maple Leafs center William Nylander (88) look on.

Andersen denied Andy Andreoff and Michael Raffl on successive highlight-reel chances in the third period. 1160780 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers prospect Samuel Morin again tears his ACL and is expected to miss rest of season

by Sam Carchidi,

Flyers prospect Samuel Morin again tears his ACL and is expected to miss rest of season

Samuel Morin’s season is probably over and no one knows if he will ever play in the NHL again.

Morin, the Flyers’ top pick in the 2013 NHL draft, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Wednesday for the second time in 18 months. The 6-foot-7, 230-pound defenseman will undergo surgery and have another long rehab in front of him

The injury occurred while he was playing for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a 4-2 win Wednesday over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Morin, 24, played in one game for the Flyers this season and was sent to the Phantoms on a conditioning stint.•••

Flyers coach Alain Vigneault met with Morin before the team’s 3-2 overtime win Thursday over visiting Montreal.

“There’s no doubt that we feel for him,” Vigneault said. “There’s a kid that spent the whole summer here trying to get himself back to playing. He accepts to go to the minors to play some games and I guess on a nothing play, he heard his knee pop. Very unfortunate. Hopefully he’ll want to put himself through all that yearlong rehab and give himself another chance to play.”

Morin is expected to eventually be put on the long-term injured list, giving the Flyers $700,000 of cap relief. They will need even more cap room when Scott Laughton comes off the long-term injured list.

Morin went through an arduous rehab to get ready for this season. He had a solid training camp, made the roster, and patiently waited for his turn in the lineup.

“You never want to see one of your good buddies get hurt,” Flyers defenseman Phil Myers said. “After what he’s been through, I’m here for him. You never want to see anybody get hurt.”

Breakaways

In the win over Montreal, the Flyers had no penalties in a game for the sixth time in franchise history -- and the third time in the last two seasons. ... Justin Braun and Carsen Twarynski each had six hits, and Kevin Hayes had six shots and was 7-for-13 on faceoffs.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160781 Philadelphia Flyers • Farabee had an assist and Saturday night marked his 10th game with the Flyers, which is notable.

Joel Farabee gets his 10th NHL game tonight with the #flyers, officially Flyers are rolling into Boston after massive shootout win over Maple triggering the first year of his entry-level contract. Leafs — Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) November 10, 2019

• Andy Andreoff played well in his Flyers debut. He was noticeable and By Jordan Hall active on the fourth line, which was one of the Flyers' best Saturday night. His weekend is off to a good start and it will have a say in how long November 09, 2019 10:20 PM he sticks with the Flyers.

• The Flyers are right back at it Sunday when they visit Boston to play the Bruins (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP), who are 11-3-2 and 7-0-1 at home. The Flyers and Maple Leafs needed 11 rounds in the shootout to decide last Saturday's game. This season, the Flyers are 0-2-1 in the second game of back-to-back sets. This time, three rounds were enough and the Flyers came out on the winning end to earn a massive 3-2 victory Saturday night over Toronto at Scotiabank Arena. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier scored in the skills competition with highlight-reel tallies.

The Flyers (9-5-2) extended their season-best point streak to five games. They are 7-2-1 with 15 points since Oct. 21. The defending champion Blues are the only NHL team with more points (16) over that stretch.

The Maple Leafs (9-5-4) had a three-game winning streak snapped.

• Big-time win for the Flyers, who played a strong game from start to finish. They were 2-4-1 on the road entering tonight and needed this one. Their confidence should be at a season high heading into Boston.

• and Oskar Lindblom have been a treat to watch all season so far.

Off a feed from Konecny, Lindblom scored a James van Riemsdyk-type of power play marker in the first period, giving him eight goals over 16 games. Last season, he had eight goals through 57 games.

Konecny and Lindblom have thrived under head coach Alain Vigneault — give all three of them credit for this start.

"I didn’t know much about Oskar before coming here, but what I’ve found is a real smart, two-way player, hard-working young man," Vigneault said on Oct. 26. "He’s got a good hockey sense to play that 200-foot game and he’s got a real good skill level.

"We’ve got him playing 5-on-5 on Coots' line, which has been our most consistent, he’s playing penalty killing with Coots, and he’s playing the power play. He’s become a real important player on our team.”

• After looking like the Flyers' best player in Thursday night's 3-2 OT win over the Canadiens, Philippe Myers kept it up Saturday night.

The defenseman opened the scoring for the second straight game with a first-period goal. Joel Farabee, 19 years old, started the rush and Myers, 22 years old, finished it.

Myers had one goal and two points in 21 games last season. He has already topped those totals through five games this season with two goals and three points.

We're seeing why general manager Chuck Fletcher was "bullish" on Myers this summer. He has been impressive in all areas.

• The Flyers' penalty kill went 3 for 3.

The PK had allowed 18 goals through 16 games last season. This season, the Flyers have allowed only seven power play goals in 16 games.

Assistant coach has been key in those efforts. So, too, have the additions of Kevin Hayes, Matt Niskanen, Tyler Pitlick and Justin Braun.

• Brian Elliott gave the Flyers a great chance to win a tough road game. He was strong in overtime and finished with 38 saves.

• Shayne Gostisbehere has quietly looked better and better on the power play. Ivan Provorov has had a rough few games handling the puck on the first unit. Maybe the Flyers make a switch Sunday, moving Gostisbehere back to the No. 1 power play. 1160782 Pittsburgh Penguins of the cage where forward Bryan Rust lifted a wrister past the right skate of Crawford. Marino and Malkin had assists.

In the shootout, Guentzel tucked a backhander through Crawford’s five Empty Thoughts: Penguins 3, Blackhawks 2 (SO) hole while McCann ripped a wrister past his blocker. Kane scored the Blackhawks’ lone shootout goal with a forehand shot through Murray’s five hole.

Seth Rorabaugh Statistically speaking

Sunday, November 10, 2019 1:15 a.m. • Shots were even, 31-31.

• Penguins forward Alex Galchenyuk led the game with five shots.

Observations from the Penguins’ 3-2 shootout win against the • Forward Andrew Shaw led the Blackhawks with four shots. Blackhawks: • Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith led the game with 26:45 of ice First things first, there was no update on forward Sidney Crosby. The time on 30 shifts. Penguins’ captain left the game with 18:09 left in the third period due to an undisclosed injury. • Guentzel led the Penguins with 23:29 of ice time.

Coach Mike Sullivan suggested there might be an update on Monday • The Blackhawks controlled faceoffs, 29-27 (52 percent). (the team is off on Sunday). • Penguins forward Teddy Blueger was 10 for 15 (67 percent) in faceoffs. Despite losing another important – and expensive player – the Penguins • Blackhawks forward Jonathan Toews was 14 for 23 (61 percent) in keep finding ways to stage comebacks. faceoffs. On Saturday, they lost forward Patric Hornqvist but still found a way to • de Haan led the game with five blocked shots. come back from a three-goal deficit to claim a lead – which they ultimately surrendered – in Boston on Tuesday. • Marino led the Penguins with three blocked shots.

Despite losing Kris Letang in Boston, they found a way to rally from Historically speaking another three-goal deficit to claim a 4-3 road win against the stingy Islanders on Thursday. • It had been a long time since the Penguins last beat the Blackhawks.

On Saturday, even without Crosby, they overcame another deficit – only How long? two goals this time – to defeat an opponent which had beaten them for Like, Taylor-Pyatt-was-in-the-lineup long. 10 consecutive games in a shootout. The Penguins beat the Blackhawks, 4-1, at what was then known as “The last two games, we’ve really shown our character, coming back in Consol Energy Center on March 30, 2014. both games,” goaltender Matt Murray said. “Strong third periods that show a lot of resilience even though both the last two games, the second Their lineup that night: period definitely didn’t go our way. We didn’t let that deter us. It’s awesome to see.” The Penguins' lines and pairs the last time they defeated the Chicago Blackhawks on March 30, 2014: pic.twitter.com/Md5Tlh0e9k What happened — Seth Rorabaugh (@SethRorabaugh) November 10, 2019 The Blackhawks opened the scoring at 7:09 of the second period. After Penguins forward Jared McCann lost a puck in the offensive zone, • You may recall that game for a thunderous hit by defenseman Brooks Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad, a native of Gibsonia, poked it past Orpik which injured Toews: defenseman Justin Schultz at the right point and created a three-on-one • Having snapped their 10-game losing streak against the Blackhawks, rush with defenseman Slater Koekoek and forward Dominik Kubalik the Penguins’ next longest active losing streak against anyone one team against Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson. Gaining the offensive is shared by four teams at two games apiece. That quartet includes the zone on the left wing, Saad fed a pass to Koekoek in the high slot and San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Koekoek one-touched it back to Saad at the left faceoff dot. As Golden Knights. Pettersson slid to one knee in hopes of breaking up the sequence, Saad fed a forehand pass around his right skate to the right of the cage where • Malkin (1,008 points) surpassed Lanny McDonald (1,006) for 86th place an open Kubalik slammed a forehand shot past the left skate of Murray. on the NHL’s career scoring list. Assists went to Saad and Koekoek. Randomly speaking Chicago doubled its lead only 1:38 later. Lugging a puck from his own left circle and up the offensive right wing one-on-one against passive • The Penguins were 0 for 3 on the power play and have failed to score defense from Pettersson, Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane ripped a with the man advantage in 11 consecutive games. They have failed to wrister from the right dot past Murray’s glove hand on the near side. score on 26 consecutive power-play opportunities. Their last such score Defenseman Calvin de Haan had the lone assist. was by Guentzel in a 7-2 road win against the Winnipeg Jets nearly a month ago on Oct. 13. A would-be goal by Penguins forward Dominik Kahun at 11:51 of the second was reviewed at length by off-ice officials but ultimately, the call • On the flip side of that, the Penguins have killed 14 consecutive on the ice of no goal was upheld after officials determined play had been opposing power-play chances. halted due to a Chicago penalty. • It didn’t really have much of a bearing on the outcome of this game, but The Penguins finally got on the scoreboard at 16:04 of the second. After the Penguins had a very strong five-on-three penalty kill early in the stealing the puck in the neutral zone, forward Evgeni Malkin roared into second period which lasted an ample 1:34. Making it even more the offensive zone on the left wing. Waiting until seemingly the last impressive was three of their most regular penalty killers were absent. possible moment, Malkin fed a pass around the stick of Koekoek to the Brandon Tanev and Jack Johnson were in the penalty box while Rust slot where trailing forward Jake Guentzel whacked it past the glove hand was off the ice with an equipment issue. of Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford. Malkin was shaken up a bit Forwards Zach Aston-Reese, Teddy Blueger and defenseman Brian after colliding with a referee and took a few moments to recover to his Dumoulin limited the Blackhawks to two shots with all that open ice. skates but eventually returned to the bench with no issue. Assists went to Malkin and McCann. • Rust extended his scoring streak to a career-best six games. He has seven points (five goals, two assists) during that span. It was tied, 2-2, at 10:57 of the third. Controlling a puck at the right point, rookie defenseman John Marino displayed uncanny patience and waited • Marino has a career-best three-game scoring streak. for a cross-ice seam to open up. Once it did, he zipped a pass to the left • Murray’s nine wins are tops in the NHL along with Toronto’s Frederik has scoring touch. He always (had) that. He’s always shown that since Andersen, Vegas’ Marc-Andre Fleury and Calgary’s David Rittich. he’s been here. Since I’ve been the coach here, he’s scored some really, really big goals in high-stakes environements. He’s always shown an • Galchenyuk had a fantastic first period with three shots and one drawn ability to finish. But the biggest thing for me is just that hunger and that penalty. He still needs to start scoring but he’s getting better and better willingness to pay the price to win.” with each game it seems. • Murray explained his approach to shootouts versus more typical game • The Penguins are 7-2-1 against Western Conference foes this season. situations:

Publicly speaking “It’s different. It’s all about patience honestly. That’s what makes a guy • Losing Crosby for any period of time would clearly be bad as Guentzel like Kane so dangerous is that he’s so patient and his hands are so fast. explained: That’s why he’s probably one of the best in the shootout. You just try to battle and do what you can to make the save.” “He’s obviously the best player in the world. So if he’s out, it’s going take commitment by everyone to step up. But we’ll have to see what • Sullivan is big on Malkin’s decisions ith the puck as of late: happens.” “The biggest thing for me is (Malkin) is doing a better job managing the • McCann was succinct in explaining Crosby’s value: puck. He’s such a dynamic player offensively. He’s a guy that has a tendency to want to make plays all the time. And sometimes you have to “You can’t replace Sid. He’s one of the best players in the world, if not make simple plays. We’re trying to stay out of his way offensively and the best.” allow him to act on his instincts. But he’s got to have some dilligence about his game. … He’s doing a much better job of managing the puck. • Sullivan offered some thoughts on the beleaguered power play: He’s buying in to how we’re trying to play. He’s trying to play a more “We obviously haven’t scored in a while We have a lot of good players north-south game even though his instinct sometimes is to play east- that have had a lot of success on the power play for a long time. We west. We’re not trying to change (Malkin). That’s what makes him what have a lot of different combinations, we have a lot of guys coming in and he is, that’s what makes him unique. All we’re trying to do is just we’re out of the lineup. … It’s not one thing. It’s a combination of things. But asking him to meet us half way. And he’s done that.” part of it is, is I think guys are pressing a little bit because they’re trying to make it happen. Somtimes, when you’re trying too hard, you’re not in an instictive mindset. And that’s when our guys are at their best is when Tribune Review LOADED: 11.10.2019 they’re in that mindset where they’re just taking what the game gives them and they’re instinctive. We’re trying to encourage them to trust their instincts.”

• One are of concern on the power play is clear for Sullivan:

“The one thing I’ll say is we haven’t had a net presence as consistently in the last handful of games, probably since Patric Hornqvist got hurt. That’s one thing that he brings to our power play that’s important. You have to make it tough on the goalie, you’ve got to take sight lines away, you’ve got to limit his mobility, just by in and around the crease. And I just don’t think we’ve gotten there enough.”

• Guentzel suggested a simple approach to getting the power play to click:

“I don’t know if it’s frustration but we’ve just got to stick with it. We have just got shoot the puck. You’ve got to get back to shooting the puck and break down their coverage and hopefully one will go in that way.”

• Rust broke down Marino’s pass to set up the game-tying goal:

“It was an unbelievable play. I tried to scream as loud as I could but I’m not sure if he heard me because it was pretty loud in there. He made a real good fake, got his head up and made the pass over to me. It was an easy one.

• Sullivan keeps being impressed by Marino:

“He’s a good player and the more he gets a chance to play in NHL games against NHL players with NHL intensity and NHL pace, he gets used to it. Usually, what happens is the game slows down in players’ minds as they get comfortable with the pace of play and how quickly windows of opportunity open and close in the NHL. That’s why it’s a tough jump for a lot of players. He’s just getting better with every game that he plays. He’s getting more confidence with every game that he plays. That was a real nice play he made. Just the puck poise, the vision to see (Rust) on the backside, it was just a terrific play. I just think he’s a real good player. With every day that he’s here, he’s just getting more comfortable.”

• As always, Sullivan is high on Rust:

“The biggest thing (Rust) has shown me since day one of training camp is just a sense of urgency and a certain hunger to his game. When he plays that way, that’s when he’s at his best. He’s done that consistently game in and game out, day in and day out in practice. That’s what I’ve seen since day one of training camp is just that urgency, that hunger, that will to win, that will to succeed. We always talk to our players about being a ‘next effort’ team. It’s not about second effort. It’s about third and fourth and fifth effort. It’s about next effort. (Rust), right now, probably personifies next effort play. He’s like a dog on a bone with the puck. He’s relentless and when he plays like that, he’s hard to play against. And he 1160783 Pittsburgh Penguins The Penguins aren’t sure what they will face without their captain. “He’s obviously, the best player in the world,” Guentzel said. “So if he’s

out, it’s going take commitment by everyone to step up. But we’ll have to Penguins rally to defeat Blackhawks in shootout but lose Crosby to injury see what happens.”

Seth Rorabaugh Tribune Review LOADED: 11.10.2019

Saturday, November 9, 2019 9:59 p.m.

Half a decade has rolled by since the previous occasion the Penguins defeated the Chicago Blackhawks.

On Saturday, the Penguins snapped that slump of 10 games with a 3-2 shootout victory at PPG Paints Arena.

But of greater significance is the well being of captain Sidney Crosby. He left the contest with 18 minutes, 9 seconds left in the third period because of an undisclosed injury. Coach Mike Sullivan had no update on Crosby beyond noting he is being evaluated and suggested an update might be available on Monday.

Crosby is the Penguins’ top scorer with 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 17 games. Beyond the basic statistics, his impact should be obvious to anyone who has watched this franchise with even a passing interest during the 15 seasons it has employed Crosby.

“We’re just hoping for the best,” goaltender Matt Murray said. “But, obviously, he’s our leader. He’s the best player in the world. So if he’s out, we’ll miss him for sure.”

The Penguins entered the game already missing the talents of all-star defenseman Kris Letang as well as forward Patric Hornqvist, one of the NHL’s top players in front of the crease.

Despite missing three of their best — and most expensive — players the Penguins have staged comebacks from multiple goals in each of their past three games and have won two of them.

“Just for us to be able come back again in the third, it shows what kind of character and commitment we have on this team,” forward Jake Guentzel said. “To come out and get two points there is huge.”

The contest began as if the Penguins would not get any points, as had been the case for most of their previous 10 meetings with the Blackhawks.

Chicago opened the scoring at 7:09 of the second period when forward Brandon Saad, a native of Gibsonia, created a three-on-one rush with defenseman Slater Koekoek and forward Dominik Kubalik against Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson. The sequence resulted in Kubalik burying a forehand shot past the left skate of goalie Matt Murray.

They doubled their lead only 1:38 later when all-star forward Patrick Kane ripped a wrister from the right dot past Murray’s glove hand on the near side.

The Penguins finally got on the scoreboard at 16:04 of the second. After stealing the puck in the neutral zone, forward Evgeni Malkin roared into the offensive zone on the left wing. Waiting until seemingly the last possible moment, Malkin fed a pass around Koekoek’s stick to the slot, where a trailing Guentzel whacked it past the glove hand of Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford.

Following Crosby’s departure and their third unsuccessful power play of the game — they have failed to convert on 26 consecutive opportunities with the man advantage of their past 11 games — the Penguins found a way to force another tie at 10:57 of the third.

Taking a pass from Malkin above the right circle, rookie defenseman John Marino displayed uncanny patience and waited for a cross-ice seam to open up. Once it did, he zipped a pass below the left circle, where forward Bryan Rust lifted a wrister past the blocker of a sprawling Crawford.

“It was an unbelievable play,” Rust said of Marino’s pass. “I tried to scream as loud as I could, but I’m not sure if he heard me because it was pretty loud in there. He made a real good fake, got his head up and made the pass over to me. It was an easy one.”

Shootout goals by Guentzel and McCann secured victory. Murray stopped two of the three shootout shots he faced. 1160784 Pittsburgh Penguins same time, I learned about playing NHL hockey. That was a big thing. But obviously, what stands out is the two (Stanley Cup titles). It’s just something special being part of two teams like that. You’re never going to forget that.” Ex-Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta returns with Blackhawks The end of Maatta’s time with the Penguins was forgettable as he served as a healthy scratch for the team’s final three games in a humiliating four- game sweep at the hands of the New York Islanders during the first Seth Rorabaugh round of last season’s playoffs. Saturday, November 9, 2019 3:46 p.m. After the indignity of being benched, Maatta realized the possibility of being moved existed.

It wasn’t just hot. “You had it a little in your mind, but you never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “Especially when it’s going to happen, if it’s going to It was humid. It was sweaty. happen. I was a little bit surprised.”

It was parts-of-your-skin-stick-to-other-parts-of-your skin hot. Maatta is coming off his best game as a member of the Blackhawks: He recorded a season-high two assists in a 5-2 home win against the On June 20, 2012, Pittsburgh was in the midst of a searing heat wave Vancouver Canucks on Thursday. For the season, he has appeared in with temperatures routinely in the low 90s. 15 games and has four points. The NHL was staging is entry draft that weekend and, as is typically the His basic offensive number rarely have stood out during his career. case, it held media availability with several of the players projected to be That’s why the Blackhawks acquired him in hopes of steadying their first-round selections. defense. Only All-Star defenseman Duncan Keith (85) has seen more Normally, those functions are staged in a hotel or at the venue the draft is defensive-zone starts than Maatta (77) among the Blackhawks this held at. season, according to Natural Stat Trick.

That day, at the suggestion of the Pittsburgh Penguins, those interviews “He’s got experience,” Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. “He’s were staged on top of the Gateway Clipper Fleet’s Empress during a tour also young … 400 games already. It’s a big boost to our team. Just plays of the city’s three rivers. As awkward generic questions usually involving a steady game. He can make plays but we’re looking, first and foremost, some form of “What NHL player to you compare yourself to?” were asked for his defensive play and killing penalties for us. Those are two areas we and answered, those players (and several reporters) struggled with the think he’s improved.” conditions as the sun reflected off the top deck of the boat as well as the Said Keith: “He’s a young guy, but he’s been around for a long time, in a water. good way. He brings that young veteran leadership to the room. Very A few, such as eventual top overall selection Nail Yakupov and future poised. He’s a great guy. You can see why the Penguins were successful Penguins forward Alex Galchenyuk, dressed in shorts and acclimated having a guy like that in their lineup.” themselves well. Maatta wasn’t quite sure what to expect when the Penguins played their Then there was Olli Maatta. customary “welcome back” video for former players or executives upon their first game back as a visitor. He wore pants. But he appears to have gotten past any sort of mixed feelings over his Black pants. departure and embraced his new life with the Blackhawks.

As he politely answered questions, the 18-year-old from nordic “Obviously, it’s hard,” Maatta said. “I have nothing but good memories. In Jyvaskyla, Finland, perspired to such a degree, he might as well have six years, it’s been an awesome time. taken a plunge into the Monongahela River. “As more time went by (after the trade), I think I realized how lucky I got “It was hot,” Maatta said with a wry smile when reminded Saturday of his with the organization I came to. From what I heard about Chicago, I first visit to Pittsburgh. heard nothing bad. Everything is top notch. The city is awesome. The Roughly 30 hours after that scorcher of a boat ride, Maatta was chosen organization has been awesome. I think I got pretty lucky being where I by the Penguins with the 22nd overall selection. am.”

“That was the first time I actually was in Pittsburgh,” said Maatta, “It’s Notes: pretty cool when I think back on it.” • Goaltender Matt Murray was expected to start for the Penguins. In 13 Maatta’s latest trip to Pittsburgh was very different. First, it came on a games this season, he has an 8-3-1 record along with a 2.40 goals Saturday in mid-November when temperatures were hovering in the low against average, a .914 save percentage and one shutout. 40s. • The Penguins did not hold a morning skate.

Then there’s the matter of his attire. • Forward Sam Lafferty and Chad Ruhwedel skated on their own this He was bearing black shorts this time. morning.

And a white Chicago Blackhawks jersey. • The Blackhawks did hold a full morning skate. They were expected to start goaltender Corey Crawford in net. In seven games this season, he Maatta faced the Penguins as an opponent for the first time at PPG has a 2-4-1 record with a 3.50 goals against average and a .901 save Paints Arena. percentage.

“It is weird,” said Maatta, now 25. “Even coming to the city. I don’t know • In 10 career games against the Penguins, Crawford has spectacular how to explain it, but it’s definitely a weird feeling.” numbers. He has a 9-1-0 record in those games along with a 1.85 goals against average and .949 save percentage. In the name of clearing space on their payroll, the Penguins dealt Maatta and his $4,083,333 cap hit (according to Cap Friendly) to the Blackhawks • The Blackhawks have won 10 consecutive games against the this past June in exchange for forward Dominik Kahun and a fifth-round Penguins. The last time the Penguins defeated the Blackhawks was a 4- pick in July’s draft. 1 home victory on March 30, 2014.

That transaction ended a six-year marriage that had some intoxicating highs such as debuting in the NHL as an 18-year old and Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and ’17. But there were also several melancholic lows like Tribune Review LOADED: 11.10.2019 repeated right shoulder surgeries as well as a battle with thyroid cancer.

“I grew up as a person a lot,” Maatta said of his tenure with the Penguins. “Coming in as a young guy, I think I learned about life a little bit. At the 1160785 Pittsburgh Penguins

Sidney Crosby leaves Saturday's game with 'lower-body injury'

MIKE DEFABO

NOV 10, 2019 4:59 AM

Sidney Crosby left Saturday night’s 3-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in the third period with an undisclosed lower-body injury.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said after the game that the captain is still being evaluated. The team is off on Sunday. Sullivan said he expects to have more information on Monday.

Asked what the Penguins will be missing if Crosby is out any length of time, his linemate Jake Guentzel summed it up by saying, “Obviously, ‘the best player in the world.”

“If he’s out, it’s going to take everyone to step up,” Guentzel said. “We’ll have to see what happens.”

The injury is the latest for a club that’s dealt with more than its fair share of medical misfortune. Should he miss any time, Crosby would be the seventh forward to be injured this season. Currently, the Penguins are playing without winger Patric Hornqvist and defenseman Kris Letang. Bryan Rust, Evgeni Malkin, Nick Bjugstad, Alex Galchenyuk and Jared McCann have also all missed multiple games previously before rejoining the lineup.

Yet, in the face of adversity, the Penguins (10-6-1) have forged an identity and continued to march on. Saturday was another example. Without Crosby, the Penguins found the game-tying goal to force overtime and then won the game in a shootout, when McCann beat Corey Crawford and Matt Murray stuffed Alex DeBrincat.

“You certainly find out about your depth out of necessity,” Sullivan said. “I think guys have stepped up that we’ve put in the lineup and they’ve done a terrific job, whether it’s our roster players who are playing a more significant role. A guy like Jared McCann comes to mind that we had on the wing. We bump him into center and he doesn’t miss a beat.”

Sullivan also pointed toward several of the players who were recalled from the AHL, including Sam Lafferty, Joseph Blandisi and Adam Johnson. All contributed during their stints in Pittsburgh and kept the ship afloat when early injuries could have capsized the season before it really began.

“What I love about our team is we’ve never once looked for an excuse,” Sullivan said. “When we come to the rink, our expectation is we’re going to win, regardless of who we play against.

“If we play the game a certain way, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win regardless of who is in our lineup. I give our players a lot of credit for that, because they don’t look for excuses. It’s just next-man-up mentality. Guys are taking advantage of the opportunity that’s been given to them.”

Post Gazette LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160786 Pittsburgh Penguins “I’m not sure [why it’s happened],” Rust said. “I don’t think we’re playing bad when we go down. There’s either some bounces or just a few miscues that end up in the back of our net. And we know that and we just keep playing hard.” Penguins stage another comeback, win in shootout vs. Chicago Blackhawks The Penguins got this night’s comeback started with 3:56 left in the second when Guentzel blew a shot by Crawford’s glove for his team- leading eighth goal.

MATT VENSEL Evgeni Malkin, the team’s most dangerous player these past three games, cruised down the left wing and displayed great patience to wait NOV 10, 2019 4:57 AM out Slater Koekkoek then slide a pass to Guentzel, who beat the other Blackhawks down the ice.

They will have to kick this bad habit. But, man, it has been fun, hasn’t it? “It’s just an unbelievable pass,” Guentzel said. “Late in my shift, I was just trying to get up there to join him. ... It was pretty easy for me to get that Saturday, for the third consecutive game, the Penguins dug themselves one.” out of a multiple-goal hole to tie it. This time, they beat the Blackhawks, 3-2, in a shootout at PPG Paints Arena, snapping their 10-game losing Sullivan stuck with the forward lines that sparked the Penguins Thursday. streak against Chicago. Malkin, McCann and Rust, who all scored in that win after Sullivan put them together, remained a trio Saturday. Well, at least until Crosby got “Things just didn’t seem to go our way early in these past games,” said hurt, forcing the coach to move McCann to center and jumble his trios the Bryan Rust, who scored another clutch goal to send this game into rest of the way. overtime. “But I think it shows a lot of character in this room that we’re able to battle back.” No biggie. The Penguins, who were already down Kris Letang and Patric Hornqvist and survived early season injuries to Malkin and Rust, kept on There wasn’t too much celebrating in the home locker room late pushing. Saturday, however, as the Penguins awaited word on Sidney Crosby, who limped down the tunnel early in the third period and did not return. “What I love about our team is we’ve never once looked for an excuse,” Coach Mike Sullivan said after the win that the medical staff was still Sullivan said, adding, “If we play the game a certain way, we’re going to evaluating Crosby’s lower-body injury. give ourselves a chance to win regardless of who is in our lineup. … It’s just next-man-up mentality. Guys are taking advantage of the opportunity Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Olli Maatta warms up before an NHL that’s been given to them.” hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in Chicago. Well, except for on the power play. They squandered another three Saturday. “We’re just hoping for the best, I think,” Matt Murray said. “Obviously he’s our leader. He’s the best player in the world. If he’s out, we’ll miss Against the Blackhawks, the Penguins, who entered the game on a 0-for- him for sure.” 25 skid on their power play, split their personnel into two balanced units, one centered by Crosby and the other by Malkin. It didn’t work. None of With Crosby out, the Penguins rallied to score the tying goal midway the new combinations evoked fear and it’s now 11 consecutive games through the third period. Rookie blue-liner John Marino made a beautiful without a power-play goal. back-door feed to Rust, who ripped a quick shot into an open net to make the score 2-2. The special teams have been buoyed by their penalty kill, which survived a 5-on-3 on Saturday. The Penguins have killed 20 of their past 21 “Just put it in the net,” Rust said. “Don’t over-think it. It’s such a nice penalties. pass.” The Penguins, now 10-6-1, will play the New York Rangers Tuesday at Rust has at least one point in all six games since he returned from the Madison Square Garden. hand injury he suffered in the preseason finale. It’s the longest streak of his career.

The Penguins would prevail in a shootout, their first one of those this Post Gazette LOADED: 11.10.2019 season.

Jake Guentzel fooled Corey Crawford on the first attempt, selling a hard fake then nonchalantly slipping the puck between the goalie’s pads. After Patrick Kane and Jared McCann scored, Murray stuffed Alex DeBrincat to secure the win.

“Especially the last two games, we’ve really shown our character,” Matt said.

It has been on full display, unfortunately, due to all these early deficits. For the third consecutive game, the Penguins spotted their opponents a multi-goal lead.

After another scoreless first period for both teams, the Blackhawks scored on a 3-on-1 rush in the second. With precise passing, they turned Marcus Pettersson into a pretzel. Murray had little chance of getting across to deny Dominik Kubalik.

Less than two minutes later, Kane on another counterattack snapped a shot from the right dot under Murray’s glove. Suddenly, the Penguins trailed, 2-0.

Penguins opponents have scored first in 10 of their past 12 games. That the Penguins won five of those 10 games, including scoring the final four goals Thursday of a wild 4-3 overtime win against the New York Islanders, certainly says something about their ability to score goals in bunches and their resolve.

But the Penguins will be better off if they snap out of this sooner than later. 1160787 Pittsburgh Penguins looking first and foremost for his defensive play and killing penalties for us. Those are two areas we think we’ve improved.”

In a walkway that leads the Penguins from the dressing room to the ice, a Former Penguin Olli Maatta returns to PPG Paints for the first time since mural has been painted to pay tribute to each of the five Stanley Cup he was traded titles. Each name from each of those Cup runs in painted onto the wall as a lasting reminder. Maatta’s name, of course, appears twice.

After walking down that tunnel so many times, Maatta admitted it would MIKE DEFABO be a little “weird” to take the visiting route to the ice for Saturday’s game against the Penguins. NOV 9, 2019 8:50 PM When Sidney Crosby was asked about what it will be like to play against

a former teammate and friend, he echoed that same word: “Weird.” It all started here, in Pittsburgh, on a muggy afternoon in 2012. “I think when you play with a guy for that long, everyone knows each The Steel City hosted the NHL Draft. So Olli Maatta – then a Finnish other’s tendencies, so there shouldn’t be any surprises there,” Crosby prospect – made the trek across the ocean to be in the city famous for its said. “He’s a hard guy to play against. He doesn’t give you much room. three rivers. He sat in the stands at what as at the time Consol Energy He’s got a long stick. I’m sure he’ll be tough to play against [Saturday].” Center, wearing a mohawk haircut and a blazer, waiting to hear where the next stop in his hockey journey would lead him. Post Gazette LOADED: 11.10.2019 Little did he know that he was already there. With the 22nd pick in the first round, the host city selected the promising young defenseman. “That was the first time I was in Pittsburgh,” Maatta said on Saturday. “It was a pretty cool one when you look back at it.”

Saturday, surely, was another moment in Pittsburgh that Maatta will remember… but, perhaps, in a bitter-sweet kind of way.

More than seven years and one career-altering trade later, Maatta returned to Pittsburgh again to play at PPG Paints Arena for the first time since the Penguins dealt him to the Chicago Blackhawks.

What happened in between these two milestone moments in Pittsburgh won’t soon be forgotten. Maatta came here for the first time as a kid on the fringe of an NHL dream. He was so young that he listed the dictionary — yes, the dictionary — as his favorite book on a survey, because he was still learning English. He returns as a 25-year-old NHL veteran without a hint of an accent, a cancer survivor and a two-time Stanley Cup champion.

To him, Pittsburgh isn’t just a place where his career began. It is also community and an experience that shaped him as a person.

“I think I grew up as a person a lot,” Maatta said. “Coming in as a young guy, I think I really learned about life a little bit at the same time I learned how to play NHL hockey. That was a big thing.”

During his Penguins tenure, Maatta tallied 362 games, 25 goals and 82 assists. But there’s one thing that stands above that stats. Actually, two.

“Obviously what stands out is the two Cups,” Maatta said. “It’s something special. Being part of two teams like that. You’re never going to forget that.”

Sidney Crosby gives his All-Star MVP car to a veteran

After a career with ups and downs, Maatta’s tenure in Pittsburgh began to come to a close during last year’s early postseason exit.

He was a healthy scratch the final three games of the four-game sweep. He said that he anticipated the Penguins would make some changes on their blue line in the offseason but he was “a little bit surprised” that he was the choice.

“Obviously, it’s hard,” Maatta said. “I’ve got nothing but good memories here from my six years. It’s been an awesome time.

“But more and more time went by, I think I realized how lucky I got and what kind of an organization I got traded to... Everything is top-notch. The city is awesome. The organization is awesome. I think I got pretty lucky with where I landed.”

For Pittsburgh, the move brought forward Dominik Kahun, a fifth-round pick and some much-needed salary cap relief. For Maatta, who has three seasons remaining on his contract with an average annual value of $4.083 million, it brought a new home and a new system. Entering Saturday, he had tallied four points and a minus-one rating through the first 15 games.

“He’s got experience,” Blackhawks coach Jeremy Colliton said. “He’s also young. He’s got tremendous playoff experience... He’s a big boost to our team. Just plays a steady game. He can make plays. But we’re 1160788 San Jose Sharks

Timo Meier plays hero in shootout as Sharks top Predators

By CURTIS PASHELKA

November 9, 2019 at 10:23 PM

SAN JOSE — Timo Meier scored in the seventh round of the shootout as the Sharks beat the Nashville Predators 2-1 to pick up what may have been their most impressive victory of the season.

After making 24 saves through three periods and overtime, Martin Jones stopped all seven shots he faced in the shootout as the Sharks extended their win streak to three games.

Meier came in for his attempt and beat Nashville goalie Juuse Saros high to the blocker side for the winner.

The Sharks had two shots on goal in overtime, but Jones made six saves in the extra session as the Sharks had to kill a hooking penalty to Evander Kane with 1:31 left. Jones made 18 saves in regulation time..

The Sharks mostly played the type of game they felt they needed to Saturday night against a quality opponent like the Predators. Through two periods, though, they just hadn’t been rewarded.

That changed at the 5:22 mark of the third period as Tomas Hertl scored off a rebound to tie the game 1-1. Marc-Edouard Vlasic put a shot on net that was blocked by Juuse Saros, but Hertl, stationed in front, pounced on the rebound to score his seventh of the season and fourth in five games.

That was the type of finish around the Predators’ ner that had been missing for the first 40 minutes. The Sharks had 19 shots on goal, including six on three power play tries, but were unable to beat Saros, who came into Saturday with s 1-4-0 record in six games.

The Predators took the lead at the 14:44 mark of the second period.

On the goal, Erik Karlsson couldn’t locate a puck that had landed near his skates. Forsberg picked it up inside the Sharks’ blue line, got inside position on Karlsson as he skated toward the net and beat Jones from in close high to the blocker side. Jones, playing in his 300th NHL game, had 12 saves through two periods.

After wins over Chicago and Minnesota earlier this week, the Sharks knew they would need a more complete effort to get past a Predators team that had just been walloped 9-4 on Thursday by Colorado.

The Sharks entered Saturday with a 2-2-0 record on this six-game homestand and were 6-10-1 overall.

The Sharks failed to convert on two power play tries — almost in succession — in the first period.

Defenseman Dan Hamhuis was sent off for tripping at the 13:30 mark and the Predators took a too many men penalty at 15:43. The Sharks, whose power play ranked seventh in the NHL at 22.8 percent coming into Saturday, got four shots on goal in the four minutes.

The Sharks also killed a penalty to Brent Burns for boarding at the 9:21 mark. Filip Forsberg nearly scored on a one-timer the Predators, but Jones slid over in time to make the toe save. The Sharks had the top- ranked penalty kill in the NHL coming into Saturday at 90.6 percent.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160789 San Jose Sharks “Evander’s been good with whoever we put him with this year,” DeBoer said, “so, hopefully he can keep that going.”

Couture said Kane has a skill set that’s unique to the Sharks. Can Logan Couture’s newest linemate help jump-start his season? “His speed, his strength. He’s good on the forecheck,” Couture said of Kane. “Usually, if there’s a one on one battle he comes up with the puck. That creates more time with the puck for us. That’s the biggest thing. He By CURTIS PASHELKA knows how to score. He can beat guys one on one, he can beat guys with speed and strength. PUBLISHED: November 9, 2019 at 3:48 pm “There’s nights when you’re not feeling good and you’re not doing much. UPDATED: November 9, 2019 at 4:01 PM He knows how to find a way to get that big goal and contribute in some way offensively. That comes with playing in the league for a long time.”

SAN JOSE — Logan Couture wore a look of exasperation on Oct. 27 after the Sharks’ season had reached a new low. San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 11.10.2019 “We’ve got to score some more goals,” Couture said after the Sharks’ 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators. “We’re 12 games in and I can’t be sitting at one goal.”

From that point until earlier this week, Couture — a first-year captain — had been carrying not only the burden of what’s been a disappointing season so far for the Sharks, but also a personal extended goal drought, one of the longest of his NHL career.

At least one of those issues had been fixed going into Saturday’s game against the Nashville Predators, partly because of a new linemate.

Less than a minute into Thursday’s game against the Minnesota Wild, Couture was able to find some open ice as he skated toward the slot. Evander Kane, had taken a pass from Marcus Sorensen behind the Wild net before he found an open Couture in front for what amounted to a tap- in goal.

It was Couture’s first goal since Oct. 5 when he scored at even strength against the Anaheim Ducks. In the 13 games that followed, Couture had eight assists and 23 shots on goal, but could not find the back of the net.

Couture finished with four points against the Wild in a 6-5 Sharks win.

“Obviously it was Logan’s best game, I think he finally just relaxed a little bit, especially after that first goal, and just started to play,” Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said. “I know he’s taken a lot of the way things have gone on his own shoulders, and sometimes, that can be a big burden, especially when you have your own game to worry about, too.”

DeBoer changed up his forward lines two days after the Sharks were smoked 5-2 by the Vancouver Canucks last Saturday.

One change was dropping Patrick Marleau from Couture’s line to the third line with Joe Thornton. Kane, who spent most of this season with Tomas Hertl as his centerman, was moved up to play with Couture and Kevin Labanc.

The trio was OK against the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, a 4-2 Sharks win, then built on that game against the Wild, as Kane added a second[period power play goal — off an assist from Couture.

“He’s a great player. He works his (tail) off at both ends of the ice,” Kane said of Couture after the game. “That’s really all you can ask for in a centerman. He’s a great skill set. You saw that on display tonight.”

The only other time Couture had gone 13 games without a goal in the NHL was over the course of two seasons. He scored a goal April 3, 2015 and didn’t have another one until Jan. 9, 2016. In between, he missed close to two months from mid-October until early December with a fractured fibula at the ankle.

It can’t hurt to be on a line with Kane, who is off to one of the best starts of his career as he entered Saturday with a team-leading 10 goals, seven of which have come on the power play.

Perhaps some of that production will rub off on Couture, who has scored at least 20 goals in eight of his previous nine full NHL seasons. The exception was the 2015-16 season, where, because of the ankle injury, he had 15 goals in 52 games. Couture went on to score 10 goals in 24 playoff games as the Sharks advanced to the Stanley Cup Final.

Of course, the Sharks need everyone to be more productive, particularly at even strength, where they entered Saturday 28th in the NHL with just 27 5-on-5 goals in 17 games. But getting Couture going would be an immense help. 1160790 San Jose Sharks San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 11.10.2019

Rookie Sharks defenseman out vs. Nashville Predators

By CURTIS PASHELKA

PUBLISHED: November 9, 2019 at 11:52 am

UPDATED: November 9, 2019 at 7:19 PM

SAN JOSE — Still feeling the effects of a hit he took two days prior, Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro missed Saturday night’s game with the Nashville Predators at SAP Center.

Ferraro was injured in the second period of Thursday’s game against Minnesota after he landed awkwardly against the boards following a hit from Wild defenseman Matt Dumba. He did not play in the third period. Friday, Ferraro said he was still sore, “but recovering.”

Tim Heed, a scratch for the last two games before Saturday, replaced Ferraro in the lineup. Dalton Prout was also available to play after he was activated from injured reserve Saturday afternoon.

Saturday morning, Ferraro was the second Sharks player on the ice behind Brent Burns. He skated throughout team drills but left the ice shortly before the Sharks began working on special teams.

The Sharks’ next game is Tuesday against Edmonton.

Prout suffered a concussion, his first such injury, in the Sharks’ season- opener Oct. 2 against the Vegas Golden Knights. He underwent tests Friday and was on the ice throughout the Sharks’ morning skate Saturday, staying late afterward.

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“Feels great,” Prout said. “It’s nice just to be around the guys and get a good practice in, and get on a normal schedule again.

“The test, coming back, it’s pretty rigorous and it’s there for a reason. You go in there, you feel like you’re back in school. They test all of your cognitive functions, you’re memory. From listening to visual, everything.”

With Prout back, the Sharks are carrying eight defensemen and 13 forwards for the time being as they reassigned Lean Bergmann to the AHL.

HEALTHY FORWARDS: Melker Karlsson returned to the Sharks lineup Saturday after he missed the past two games with an upper body injury. Karlsson started the game on the fourth line with fellow winger Noah Gregor and center Dylan Gambrell. Lukas Radil was a scratch.

Karlsson was an easy choice for DeBoer to be reinserted considering his forechecking ability and work on the penalty kill.

For complete Sharks coverage

“The rest of the competition is, who can be the most effective out of that young group of guys to come and be the most reliable,” DeBoer said.

Gregor has now dressed in nine of 11 Sharks games since his recall Oct. 19 from the Barracuda, including each game of their homestand so far. Gregor entered Saturday without a point yet in eight games as he’s averaged eight minutes and 31 seconds of ice time.

“I wouldn’t say he’s grabbed a job yet,” DeBoer said of Gregor. “But out of the group of guys we’ve kind of rolled through there, I think Dylan Gambrell has done the best job of figuring out how to be an effective everyday guy. I think Noah has been the second-closest guy of doing that

“His speed jumps out at you, his skill jumps out at you. He’s learning to compete at an NHL level and he’s realizing it’s hard to create space at this level in order to create offense, and you have to be good all over the ice. If you’re not creating a goal a night, you can’t be giving up a goal a night.” 1160791 San Jose Sharks

Melker Karlsson's return to lineup a positive for penalty-prone Sharks

By Chelena Goldman

November 09, 2019 3:31 PM

SAN JOSE - The Sharks have already dealt with their share of injuries through the first month-plus of the 2019-20 season.

So getting Melker Karlsson back in the lineup from an injury holds more weight than many Sharks fans might realize.

Karlsson has missed San Jose's last two games with an upper-body injury, and the Sharks racked up a whopping 23 penalty minutes in that span. As a member of San Jose's league-leading penalty kill, Karlsson's return is important considering the Sharks are also one of the most penalized teams in the NHL.

Even with a couple of young players getting their look on San Jose's fourth line, Karlsson's contributions on special teams make him one of Peter DeBoer's go-to guys.

"Melker's the easy choice because he's a huge part of our penalty kill, which is a huge part of our game," the head coach said on Saturday morning.

While San Jose is perfectly happy with having a penalty kill that tops the NHL, they'd probably prefer to take fewer trips to the sin bin overall. Spending so much time on the kill has taken the flow out of the Sharks' five-on-five game and has zapped the life out of the special teams players. With Karlsson out of the lineup, that has meant putting even more pressure on some of the Sharks top players.

"We missed him last game," DeBoer said of Karlsson. "We took three penalties in a row. (One penalty) late in the first and two in the second. That really tired out some of our big guys without him in the lineup."

Karlsson spoke to the media on Saturday morning about what he saw in Thursday's game -- a helter-skelter battle in which the Sharks jumped out to an early 4-0 lead but had to hold on for dear life toward the end of the contest. The Swedish winger's biggest observation went beyond his team needing to take fewer penalties. They need to put out a full 60-minute effort.

"We've got to find a way to play a full 60 minutes," Karlsson said. "We can't only play half the game to want it. We need to play with the lead."

A lead is something they would like to get on Saturday against the Predators, who defeated the Sharks 5-2 in their first meeting of the season. Karlsson explained he thinks San Jose has a better chance of beating Nashville this time around.

"I think we play better now, as the season has gone on," he said. "The first ten games, I don't think we played good enough. We know they have a lot of skill, so hopefully we can play in their zone tonight."

Getting more o-zone time is going to rely on San Jose not taking six penalties like they did the last time they faced Nashville. At least with Karlsson back in the lineup, they have a better chance of shutting the Predators down.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160792 San Jose Sharks

How Sharks' Dylan Gambrell, Noah Gregor have seized regular roles

By Chelena Goldman

November 09, 2019 12:00 PM

SAN JOSE -- Sharks coach Peter DeBoer told reporters last month that he'd like some of the team's freshest faces to earn playing time so he didn't have to keep rotating players in and out of his lineup. His exact wish was for "for somebody to grab these jobs and us [to] go with the same lineup."

Ten games later, a couple of young players have held their place. DeBoer said that there's still work to be done -- like with most things involving the Sharks so far this season -- but Dylan Gambrell and Noah Gregor have taken big strides.

"Out of the group of guys that we've rolled through there, I think Dylan Gambrell has done the best job at figuring out how to be an effective everyday guy and I think Noah (Gregor) has been the second-closest guy to doing that," DeBoer said Saturday morning as San Jose geared up to host the Nashville Predators.

The coach's earlier comments came on the same day Gregor was recalled from the Barracuda. The rookie hasn't tallied his first NHL point yet, but he has played in eight of 10 games since coming up from the AHL. The 21-year-old forward has shown off his speed, DeBoer wants to see more from Gregor in his own zone.

"His speed jumps out at you, his skill jumps out at you," DeBoer said of Gregor. "He's learning how to compete at the NHL level and he's realizing it's hard to create space at this level in order to create offense. You have to be good all over the ice because if you're not creating a goal a night you can't be giving up a goal a night. Those are all the things young guys go through."

DeBoer pinpointing Gambrell as a young player who has seized a role is no surprise. Gambrell, when healthy, has been one of the few regulars on the Sharks' fourth line, although he is another player DeBoer has said he wants to see a tighter defensive effort from.

Not surprisingly, the Sharks are looking for all of their young guns to play more of a two-way game as the season progresses. The biggest key, according to DeBoer? Knowing when to pick your spots.

"You don't want to take away their creativity," DeBoer explained. "But there are times and places for that, and that's the tough thing (about) playing at this level. Unless you're a front-line guy, you've got figure out room and time to make an offensive play and when you don't. The score of the game and the time of the game. I think our young players defensively are still figuring that stuff out and we've got a ways to go."

Gambrell and Gregor will be challenged Saturday against the Predators. Nashville already plays a heavy defensive game, but likely will emphasize it even more after surrendering nine goals to the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday. While all of the Sharks will be tested, the young fourth-liners face the hardest task.

"When you look around the league at the teams that we've had (in the past), we want to get to the place where we have four reliable lines that we can stick out," DeBoer said. "If they get stuck out tonight against (Ryan) Johansen you're not trying to figure out a way to get them off the ice. That they can survive those situations."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160793 San Jose Sharks “I think he’s a little bit like our team. He had a little bit of a slow start, and he’s worked his way into the season and into his game,” coach Pete DeBoer said Saturday morning. “With him, when he’s assertive and moving his feet and jumping to check and jumping into the play, he’s one As Marc-Edouard Vlasic finds his game, so, too, do the Sharks of the best in the world. Those are the kind of things we talk to him about.”

After the win over the Predators, Couture said: “He’s at his best. And I By Kevin Kurz hate to say this, but when you don’t notice him, he makes the simple Nov 10, 2019 plays and the tough plays look very, very simple. When he’s playing well, he’s one of if not the best shutdown guys in the whole league. We’ve seen it here for enough years; we saw it last year in the playoffs and in that Colorado series what he did against that top line. He’s extremely Anyone who knows just a little bit about Marc-Edouard Vlasic off the ice good when he’s on it, for sure.” is aware of how much he loves his three dogs. On his way home from SAP Center late after a game, good performance or not, there’s only one The team benefits too, of course, and perhaps it’s no coincidence the thing on his mind. group might finally be turning a corner now that Vlasic has noticeably improved. Saturday’s win over the Predators was, without question, their “The only thing I’m thinking about when I go home is, ‘I can’t wait to see best 60-minute effort of the season, even if it did take a shootout to my dogs,’” Vlasic said Saturday morning. decide it. Obviously, Vlasic said that with a smirk on his face. The longtime Sharks All night, the Sharks went toe-to-toe with one of the better teams in the defenseman has never preferred to dive too deep in interviews when Western Conference. The Predators entered tied for the most goals per asked about his own game, which, as it so happens, has been trending game in the league (4.00), but the Sharks held them to 19 shots on goal up lately. through three periods and only a handful of Grade A scoring chances. That includes Saturday’s Sharks win over the Nashville Predators: 2-1 in Wins earlier in the week against scuffling Chicago and Minnesota were a shootout. For the third game in the last five, Vlasic got on the not all that inspiring, as the Sharks nearly blew multiple-goal leads to scoresheet, registering an assist on Tomas Hertl’s game-tying goal in the both. Saturday’s win, though, suggested that maybe, just maybe, the third period. Vlasic shot the puck from the point; it was redirected by Sharks (7-10-1) can get their act together. Timo Meier, and Hertl was there to bang home the rebound off goalie Juuse Saros. “We needed to beat a good team like this,” DeBoer said. “We knew it would be a good test. We put together some good spurts of hockey here But there were the other, more subtle plays, too. In the second period, over the last week. I like some of the things we’ve been doing, but we Vlasic stepped up in the neutral zone and pushed an attempted haven’t been doing it enough — and we haven’t done it against a team Predators pass back the other way. The result was a good look at the net like that yet this year. There’s a lot of good signs. Hopefully, we can turn by Melker Karlsson. Later in the frame, he picked off a Ryan Johansen the corner here.” attempted clear and got the puck down low to Evander Kane, leading to a prime scoring chance by Logan Couture. Hertl said: “It was the best game of the season against a really good team. Twenty players (and Martin Jones) was amazing, especially in the After the assist on Hertl’s goal, Vlasic helped kill off a Kevin Labanc shootout. It was a really great effort, I thought we deserved the two points hooking minor midway through the third period, and then, with time tonight.” running down in a 1-1 game, he pinned the puck in the corner in the final minute and stood his ground before Hertl helped him out and cleared the DeBoer also mentioned the Sharks didn’t have “any passengers” against zone. the Predators, getting contributions from up and down the lineup. Jones, in particular, was very good, making 24 saves. He flashed the leather on Nashville got another power play in overtime, and Vlasic stepped up Filip Forsberg with eight seconds to go in overtime and was forced to again, clearing the front of the net on two occasions before Meier was the make seven more saves in the shootout. only player to convert in the skills competition in the seventh round to give the Sharks their third straight victory. But even on a night when every one of the Sharks could be proud of their effort, Vlasic’s game stood out. In fact, he finished with the best shot- They were the kind of effort plays Vlasic simply didn’t seem willing to attempt percentage of the evening (74.1 percent) despite facing attempt throughout the first month. And his lackadaisical play prompted Nashville’s top line of Johansen, Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson for much some questions. of it. Was Vlasic, who is owed $7 million for six more seasons after this one, “He’s a quality player, and just like everybody else, we didn’t have the on his way out of town? Canadiens assistant general manager Scott start that we wanted,” said Karlsson, who has been Vlasic’s partner for Mellanby recently scouted the Sharks on multiple occasions, and it’s not the last three games. “It’s finally starting to get back to (us) being the a stretch to think the Sharks might have been looking to move the players that we’re supposed to be, the players that got us to the position Montréal native, especially considering Brenden Dillon and Radim Simek we’re in right now. He’s one of them.” are pending unrestricted free agents. The Canadiens are thought to be in the market for a left-handed defenseman, while the Sharks could use some help up front. The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 Or perhaps Vlasic was upset he didn’t get a letter. Despite Vlasic being the longest-tenured Sharks player, Couture was chosen as the captain. Hertl, Brent Burns, Joe Thornton and Erik Karlsson were selected as the alternates.

Vlasic denied that not getting a letter was disappointing.

“(I) lead by example on the ice,” he said. “You can say a lot of things, but if you don’t execute it, it’s meaningless. It’s about going out on the ice and showing and leading by example on the ice.

“Losing bothers me, and my dogs being sad bothers me. Other than that, nothing bothers me. I’m a simple guy.”

At the beginning of the Sharks’ homestand on Nov. 1, Vlasic had just one point, a goal, in 13 games, along with a -11 rating. In the last four games, he has one goal and two assists for three points and is a +5.

Maybe the dogs have noticed. But even if they haven’t, others have. 1160794 St Louis Blues been playing with him just to try to get better since the start of last year. It’s been a blessing to play with him.”

More often than not, they’re the first Blues on the ice before practice Blues win in OT for seventh in a row other than the goalies. So knowing where the other’s going to be on the ice, placing a pass in the perfect spot _ those things didn’t come on a whim. They were honed during all that extra work.

By Jim Thomas “We work very well on and off the ice,” O’Reilly said. “We do a lot of things together and we work hard out there. We know how each other

likes the puck and put it into areas. CALGARY, Alberta _ Vancouver, Edmonton and now Calgary. The Blues “And you can kind of see both goals there (Saturday) _ both passes were have taken on the best that western Canada could throw at them during where we wanted them to be. When you work like that together, it makes this hockey trip _ with Minnesota added on for good measure. And it easy and dangerous.” beaten them all. Seven minutes into the second period, on the power play, O’Reilly one- On Saturday at the Scotiabank Saddledome, they were playing without timed a pass from Perron past Calgary goalie David Rittich for a 2-0 Vladimir Tarasenko once again, and were minus Alexander Steen for the Blues lead. It was O’Reilly’s fifth goal of the season. first time, due to injuries. That’s both of their alternate captains. Robby Fabbri is a Blue no more, a loss possibly more emotional than anything (Ivan Barbashev scored first for the Blues on a wraparound off a rebound else to his former teammates. just 3:17 into the first period.)

But nothing seems to slow these Blues, who defeated Calgary 3-2 on But back to that chemistry. O’Reilly returned the favor, setting up Perron David Perron’s overtime goal to run their Western Conference-leading for the game-winner in overtime. This was also on the power play, 4-on-3 record to 12-3-3. It was their seventh consecutive victory overall and fifth style, after Jaden Schwartz was pulled down charging to the net by the in a row on the road _ including all four on this trip. Flames’ T.J. Brodie.

“We didn’t come in here trying to win four or trying get three out of four “It’s a great play by Schwartzy, too _ individual play,” Pietrangelo said. (on the road),” Ryan O’Reilly said. “It’s win the next game. And we’ve “We don’t get that goal without Schwartzy doing what he did.” played some good teams, but again we’re confident in each other and we know we have a chance to win when we do things the right way.” Then it was time for Mr. OT.

It may sound simple but it’s not. Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver are “I don’t know if you noticed but O’Reilly started on the other side (of the the top three teams in the Pacific Division standings. Throw in the 4-3 ice),” Perron said. “I started on the non one-timer side. We try all year to overtime victory in Minnesota that started this trip on Nov. 2 and the be able to play all positions (on the power play), so that it’s tough for the Blues have made franchise history. Or at least tied it. PK on the other side to react to how you’re set up basically. It worked out.” Saturday’s victory made this only the second time in Blues history they’ve swept a road trip of four or more games. (They won five in a row on the Lately, it’s always working out. road from Feb. 6-15 in 2017.) “We’re playing good hockey overall,” coach said. “We got a So never mind that the Blues squandered a 2-0 lead in the final 9:01 of real good team game going. For me that’s the biggest thing. We’re using regulation, when all was said and done they put another two points in the everybody. Everybody’s contributing, everybody’s buying into the team bank _ points that count just as much in October and November as they game, team-first mindset. And it’s paying off.” do in February and March.

“A couple plays in there we want back,” captain Alex Pietrangelo said. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.10.2019 “But I don’t think we played terrible. We’ve been on the road for 10 days, this is a tough place to finish a road trip. No excuses.”

The Flames, in fact were 6-1-1 at the Saddledome this season prior to Saturday.

“But we just knew we were gonna have to find a way to win tonight,” Pietrangelo continued. “We’re gone this long. It’s a good character win for us.”

They found a way thanks in large part to Perron, aka Mr. Overtime.

Early November or not, it seems appropriate to give Perron that title, doesn’t it?

“Absolutely,” O’Reilly said. “It’s a no-brainer for me. Just gotta get him the puck.”

Perron has eight goals this season, and five of them have been game- winners. On Saturday, he became the first player in NHL history to have three overtime goals prior to his team’s 20th game. (The Blues have played 18.)

“I’ve played with him _ what? _ four times, back and forth,” Pietrangelo joked.

It was only a slight exaggeration. This is Perron’s third stint with the Blues.

“I think this is the best probably I’ve ever seen him play,” Pietrangelo said. “He’s obviously had a lot of success here this year but even last year. Obviously him and O’Ry have some chemistry, but this is probably the best I’ve ever seen him play through all these years in the league.”

Yes, Perron and O’Reilly do have chemistry.

“We put so much work in before and after practice during practice all year,” Perron said. “He’s out there 30-40 minutes after practice and I’ve 1160795 St Louis Blues De la Rose took Steen’s spot on the Bozak line Saturday night and also handled some of Steen’s penalty kill duties.

But as Bozak said of Steen: “Not a guy you can replace on or off the ice. Blues notebook: Coach Berube no stranger to Calgary A big-time leader in here and does all the little things right on the ice. The things that might go unnoticed by some people … but we notice them each and every day in this room.”

By Jim Thomas

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.10.2019 CALGARY, Alberta — In a long, meandering career as a player, Craig Berube played 17 years, encompassing 1,054 regular-season games with five teams. The rough and tumble forward was around long enough to make two stops in Calgary, playing a combined 234 games with the Flames.

“Good hockey town,” Berube said Saturday after the Blues’ morning skate. “It was a lot of fun. I enjoyed my time here. One was fairly early on in my career. … When I came back I was pretty much done as a player but got a couple more years out of it.”

Berube spent 1½ seasons in Calgary during the 1991-92 and ’92-93 seasons. A decade later, he played two full seasons with the Flames (2001-03) to close out his career.

“The first time, we had a good team here,” Berube said. “It was fun to play with Al MacInnis, Gary Roberts, (Joe) Nieuwendyk, (Theoren) Fleury. Mike Vernon was the goalie. That was a good team. I was a pretty young guy. Just playing with some of those good players and veterans was pretty special.”

He was pretty much on fumes for the return engagement.

“I probably shouldn’t have been in the league,” he said. Then he joked: “I was good in the locker room, I just wouldn’t stay in there.”

That goal

Flames forward and St. Louisan Matthew Tkachuk is still hearing about that amazing goal he scored with 2 seconds left in overtime to beat Nashville 6-5 on Halloween.

“I get asked about it a fair bit,” he said. “(But) it’s starting to die down a little.”

With time winding down and still about 20 feet from the net, Tkachuk shot the puck through his own legs and past Predators goalie Pekka Rinne to snap a 5-5 tie.

“Every now and then I’ll screw around and do something like that,” Tkachuk said. “That’s not something I practice or whatever. I mainly just do it like in games when I probably shouldn’t do it. But it worked, and I was happy it worked out there.”

Advice for de la Rose

Berube talked to Jacob de la Rose twice Friday morning before his first practice as a member of the Blues. But it had nothing to do with the specifics of the Blues’ system. It was all about how Berube wanted him to play.

“We’re a heavy team,” Berube told him. “You’ve got to be physical and aggressive. We get in the way of people. We’re a forecheck team and control pucks in the offensive zone.”

Can de la Rose play that style?

“He’s a big guy. So he can play (heavy),” Berube said.

High-ankle sprains

Saturday’s game was the Blues’ first since alternate captain Alexander Steen suffered a high-ankle sprain. He will be sidelined for at least four weeks. But as Tyler Bozak can attest, nothing’s for certain with such an injury.

“The first couple years in the league I had one,” Bozak said. “They’re kind of weird injuries — tiny little things can just mess it up. You’ve got to be really careful.”

Bozak said the ankle can feel strong and healthy … ”and then one little thing and you’re back on the shelf. So you’ve got to be patient. He’s a smart guy. He’s been through injuries, so he’ll know what to do to take care of himself. We’re hoping he’s back sooner than later.” 1160796 St Louis Blues

Perron does it again as Blues beat Calgary 3-2 in overtime

By Tom Timmermann

The Blues couldn't hold on to a two-goal lead in the third period and went to overtime again, where the game ended predictably with David Perron scoring his third overtime winner of the season as the Blues beat Calgary 3-2 on Saturday night.

The Blues got their seventh straight win and closed out a four-game trip with a 4-0 record. It was the fifth time this season the Blues had let a two- goal lead get away.

Perron's goal came on a four-on-three power play after TJ Brodie was called for holding Jaden Schwartz. Ryan O'Reilly and Alex Pietrangelo assisted on the goal. It was the eighth goal of the season for Perron. He's the third player in Blues player with three OT goals in a season, joining Doug Weight in 03-04 and Vladimir Tarasenko in 16-17.

On the trip, the Blues beat the three top teams in the Pacific Division, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, and all were essentially one-goal games. While the final score vs. Edmonton was 5-2, the Blues had two empty-net goals in the final minute. That was the only game on the trip not to go to overtime.

In their seven-game win streak, the Blues have won five in overtime. The Blues have won nine of their past 10, with the only loss coming at Boston.

The first two periods had been solid ones for the Blues, but in the third, Calgary predictably came at them and managed to tie the game with two goals in 5:05.

Matthew Tkachuk scored for the Flames with 9:01 to go in the third and cut the Blues' lead to 2-1 and spoil goalie Jordan Binnington's shutout bid. It was the second time in the two games he played on this trip that Binnington took a shutout into the third period.

Calgary kept buzzing the Blues' net and tied the game with 3:56 to go in the third. A shot off the boards behind the Blues net couldn't be controlled by Binnington when it bounced back past the net, and Travis Hamonic was there to backhand it into the net.

The Blues had gone up 2-0 in the second period. On the Blues' third power play of the evening, Perron made a short pass to O'Reilly, who one-timed it past Calgary goalie David Rittich at 13:06 of the second period for his fourth goal in seven games. It was the fifth goal of the season for O'Reilly. Perron and Pietrangelo had assists.

Ivan Barbashev scored his second goal in as many games, putting in a wraparound goal 3:17 into the first period as the Blues took a 1-0 lead.

Barbashev got his first goal of the season on Wednesday in Edmonton, scoring into an empty net in the final minute of the game. He had gone scoreless in the first 16 games of the season.

Oskar Sundqvist and Mackenzie MacEachern assisted on the goal as the fourth line continues to be one of the driving forces for the Blues. For the seventh straight game, coach Craig Berube had them on the ice to start the game.

The Blues had to kill off two penalties in the first period, one on a tripping penalty on Zach Sanford, the other on a boarding call against Brayden Schenn.

Jacob de la Rose, acquired on Wednesday night for Robby Fabbri, got in his first game, playing on the third line with Tyler Bozak and Sammy Blais. De la Rose also got some time on the penalty kill, and he put the Blues on a power play when he was hooked by Calgary's Sam Bennett. The Blues didn't have a shot on goal on the power play.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160797 St Louis Blues MacEachern-Barbashev-Sundqvist Defensemen

Parayko-Pietrangelo It's all about the 'D,' Tkachuk says of his hometown Blues Bouwmeester-Faulk

Gunnarsson-Dunn By Jim Thomas Goalie

Binnington CALGARY, Alberta _ Take it from Calgary forward Matthew Tkachuk. It’s all about the defense when it comes to playing the St. Louis Blues. CALGARY PROJECTED LINEUP

“They’re big guys. They’re long,” he said. “Like (Colton) Parayko and (From Torie Peterson/CalgaryFlames.com.) (Jay) Bouwmeester, it’s hard to get around them. They brought in (Justin) Faulk this year and they have (Alex) Pietrangelo there and (Vince) Dunn Forwards as well. Gaudreau-Monahan-Lindholm

“They’ve got a really good defense. That’s probably one of the strengths Mangiapane-Backlund-Tkachuk of their team along with their goaltending. . . . I’d say their team defense is probably one of their biggest strengths.” Bennett-Ryan-Quine

Tkachuk, the budding star of the Calgary Flames, knows better than Lucic-Jankowski-Rieder most. It is after all his hometown team, and a matchup he always looks forward to, including tonight’s contest at the Scotiabank Saddledome. Defensemen

“It’s some of the games at the beginning of the season I have circled on Giordano-Hamonic my calendar,” he said. “I love playing against the team I grew up rooting Hanifin-Andersson for. And I’ve got some connections obviously with the city, with the team and some buddies. So a lot of people in St. Louis will be tuning in for this Brodie-Stone one.” Goalie One of those buddies is his housemate at the Tkachuk home in suburban St. Louis, Blues forward Robert Thomas. Thomas once again is living in Rittich the basement of the Tkachuk home this season.

Tkachuk was asked if Thomas paid for dinner when the two hooked up St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.10.2019 Friday night in Calgary. The response came quick:

“No. He doesn’t pay rent, he doesn’t pay for dinner,” Tkachuk said in mock protest.

Tkachuk’s mother Chantal has been up from St. Louis for this Flames’ homestand.

DEFENDING THE FLAMES

One of the biggest tasks for the Blues will be defending Tkachuk, 21, who scored 34 goals last season for Calgary and has nine goals already this season. But there is plenty else to think about when playing the Flames.

“They’re good on the rush,” Dunn said. “Defensively they’re very solid. They have good goaltending. Their 'D' are very offensive, too. I think they have threats all over the ice."

And the addition of Milan Lucic adds another physical element to their lineup.

"So they bring all aspects into the game,” Dunn said.

Even during their six-game winning streak, the Blues have been hampered by slow starts. So it wasn’t surprising to hear Dunn say Saturday: “Our focus is on the first five minutes of the game. We want to try to control that. We need to be able to match their intensity and outcompete them all over the ice.”

NO EXPECTATIONS

New forward Jacob de la Rose plays his first game tonight for the Blues with the cleanest of slates according to coach Craig Berube.

“I don’t really have any (expectations) to be honest with you,” Berube said. “It’s his first game. He’s just gotta go out and work hard and compete, and play a simple game. We’ll find out soon what type of guy he is and player he is when you see him in person and live here.”

BLUES’ PROJECTED LINEUP

Forwards

Schwartz-Schenn-Thomas

Sanford-O’Reilly-Perron de la Rose-Bozak-Blais 1160798 St Louis Blues

Blues play the Flames on 6-game win streak

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NOVEMBER 09, 2019 02:06 AM

St. Louis Blues (11-3-3, first in the Central Division) vs. Calgary Flames (10-7-2, second in the Pacific Division)

Calgary, Alberta; Saturday, 10 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: St. Louis comes into a matchup with Calgary as winners of six games in a row.

The Flames are 5-4-2 against Western Conference opponents. Calgary leads the league recording 31.3 shots per game while averaging 2.9 goals.

The Blues are 7-0-1 in conference play. St. Louis is seventh in the NHL recording 9.1 points per game, averaging 3.2 goals and 5.9 assists.

The teams square off Saturday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Derek Ryan leads the Flames with a plus-five in 19 games played this season. Matthew Tkachuk has totaled seven goals and four assists over the last 10 games for Calgary.

Ryan O’Reilly leads the Blues with 17 points, scoring four goals and collecting 13 assists. David Perron has recorded four goals and seven assists over the last 10 games for St. Louis.

LAST 10 GAMES: Blues: 8-2-0, averaging 3.2 goals, 6.1 assists, four penalties and 8.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game with a .921 save percentage.

Flames: 6-3-1, averaging 3.2 goals, 6.2 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.8 goals per game with a .914 save percentage.

Flames Injuries: None listed.

Blues Injuries: None listed.

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160799 Tampa Bay Lightning “We keep it simple and find ways to get pucks in, finding ways to make sure we’re on top of it every single night,” Maroon said.

He knows what he’s talking about. He played that role last year and Lightning’s fourth line pours on goals in win over Buffalo in Sweden helped the Blues win the Stanley Cup.

Steven Stamkos credited Maroon, signed as a free agent in the offseason, with helping to bring the Lightning together. He has been a By Diana C. Nearhos great addition off the ice, and as he gets more comfortable, Maroon is showing just what he can do on it.

“When he does have the confidence to have the puck in the offensive STOCKHOLM — doesn’t like the term fourth line. For his zone as much as he did these last two games, it’s kind of an element Lightning, he calls it “Paquette’s line.” we’ve never had on our team,” Stamkos said. Sabres coach Ralph Krueger shied away from the “fourth line” term as That element is one of the pieces that brings energy to the Paquette line, well after the Lightning’s led the way to back-to-back wins over his team which in turn can help the Lightning build an identity and win games. at the Ericsson Globe. Contact Diana C. Nearhos at [email protected]. Follow “The number four, or fourth line, is certainly something we didn’t feel,” @dianacnearhos. Krueger said after the Lightning won 5-3 Saturday. “From the responsibility they had, often playing against (center Jack) Eichel and Lightning 1-2-2—5 producing offensively, they were outstanding.” Sabres 1-0-2—3 Cooper called the trio of Cedric Paquette, Pat Maroon and Yanni Gourde the difference maker Saturday and in Friday’s 3-2 victory. They created First Period—1, Buffalo, Reinhart 8 (Montour, Johansson), 9:30. 2, the energy expected from a fourth line, wearing down the Sabres and Tampa Bay, Maroon 2 (Gourde, Shattenkirk), 17:02 (pp). Penalties— sparking the rest of the Lightning. Saturday, they had three of the Kucherov, TB, (hooking), 10:40 Montour, BUF, (roughing), 15:07. Lightning’s goals for good measure. Second Period—3, Tampa Bay, Hedman 3 (Kucherov, Stamkos), 1:58 MORE LIGHTNING: It's not a home game without a Community Hero ... (pp). 4, Tampa Bay, Maroon 3 (Paquette, Shattenkirk), 19:57. even in Sweden Penalties—Johansson, BUF, (interference), 1:51 Ristolainen, BUF, (interference), 14:43. “We all kind of play the same way,” Maroon said. “We’re creative, in a way. We’re good at that, protecting the puck, not forcing plays. We all Third Period—5, Buffalo, Olofsson 7 (Reinhart, Eichel), 4:14. 6, Tampa love crashing the net and getting second and third opportunities.” Bay, Gourde 4 (Paquette), 9:48. 7, Tampa Bay, Joseph 4 (Killorn, Cirelli), 10:55. 8, Buffalo, Eichel 8 (Dahlin, Ristolainen), 19:22. Penalties— The three play the same way but have different strengths. Maroon has a Paquette, TB, served by Maroon, (unsportsmanlike conduct), 16:14 big body (6 feet 2, 236 pounds) and battles hard. Gourde has speed to Paquette, TB, Misconduct (misconduct), 16:14 Cernak, TB, (roughing), create things. Paquette wins faceoffs and get under opponents’ skin. 17:59 Reinhart, BUF, (roughing), 17:59.

“They were outstanding (Saturday),” said Victor Hedman, who also had a Shots on Goal—Buffalo 17-13-13_43. Tampa Bay 12-18-10_40. Power- goal in his home country and got emotional when fans chanted his name play opportunities—Buffalo 0 of 2. Tampa Bay 2 of 3. Goalies—Buffalo, after the win. Hutton 6-3-1 (40 shots-35 saves). Tampa Bay, McElhinney 2-1-2 (43-40). A—13,339 (16,000). T—2:43. Referees—Eric Furlatt, Chris Lee. “They have some different skill sets on that line, and they were taking Linesmen—Steve Barton, Tony Sericolo. advantage of it.”

This version of the Paquette line is relatively new. Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 Paquette missed the first eight games of the season with an arm injury suffered in the preseason. Gourde moved around on the other three lines some. Maroon, Paquette and Luke Witkowski built some chemistry together with a bigger, more physical fourth-line model. But Witkowski was sent to AHL Syracuse last week. Gourde is bringing speed to the mix.

“Any time we needed pushback (against the Sabres), they delivered,” Cooper said. “It was a hard line for their (defense) corps to handle. When we get to spend 30 seconds in the zone every shift, it resets your team a little bit. (The Paquette line was) rewarded for all the work.”

On Saturday, Maroon scored twice (he almost had a hat trick, but an empty-netter try bounced off both posts) and Gourde once.

First, Maroon tipped Gourde’s shot from high in the left circle to tie the score at 1 late in the first period. He scored again with three seconds left in the second to make it 3-1, a goal that seemed to knock Buffalo back.

All three forwards followed Kevin Shattenkirk’s shot to the net on that play. Paquette touched the puck first, and Maroon put it in. There’s that love for crashing the net that Maroon referred to.

Gourde added what became the winner midway into the third period. After the Sabres won a faceoff in their zone, Gourde busted into the play and came away with the puck.

MORE LIGHTNING: Hedman might be the only Swede, but he isn't the only one with a chance to play in front of family

Part of the Lightning’s goal for the week in Sweden was to continue establishing their identity. The Paquette line already has one, and Maroon figures it can set a tone for the rest of the team “by bringing the energy every single night.” 1160800 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning bring Community Hero program to Sweden

By Diana C. Nearhos

STOCKHOLM — The Lightning recognize a community hero at each home game. Now we know that applies even if that home game isn’t at Amalie Arena. Or in the United States.

On Saturday, the Lightning gave the Stockholm Federation a $50,000 donation during the second TV timeout of their game against the Sabres at the Ericsson Globe.

Bringing the program overseas wasn’t originally the plan. It was discussed on a panel Friday, and owner Jeff Vinik was glad to add it.

The Stockholm Ice Hockey Federation aims to make hockey available to everyone. It is launching a program aimed at families overcoming cultural and economic barriers, particularly immigrants. The NHL and Players Association teamed up to donate equipment to the program.

MORE LIGHTNING: Victor Hedman comes from a rich hockey history in Örnsköldsvik

“We are going to schools and our clubs, introducing ice hockey to kids that normally don’t have the chance to get in contact with our sport,” said Carina Oddberg, the federation’s operations manager.

Starting in January, the federation will bring kids from local teams together with younger kids who have not had access to the sport. The Lightning’s Mathieu Joseph and Brayden Point participated in a preview session Monday along with Sabres Victor Olofsson and Johan Larsson.

Joseph was impressed by how quickly novice kids picked up the game. One asked about how to slow and stop while skating, getting pretty good in the short session.

“They were really impressive,” he said. “But it was good to see how happy they were to be on the ice. It’s a great program.”

Victor Hedman isn't the only Lightning player greeted by familiar faces this weekend in Sweden, via @dianacnearhoshttps://t.co/5KqO2uaf26

— TampaBayTimesSports (@TBTimes_Sports) November 9, 2019

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160801 Tampa Bay Lightning The power play scored on one of its four chances (Killorn tipped Hedman’s shot). The Lightning took three penalties, only two created power plays and they killed off both. The team addressed its issues and did what they’ve talked about. Lightning put together a complete game to beat Buffalo in Sweden “It can’t just be one game, though,” Hedman said. “We have to make this a habit.”

By Diana C. Nearhos

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 STOCKHOLM — Victor Hedman starred at the Swedish flag, trying to focus and hold off some of the emotion. Hearing his national anthem sung in his native country before an NHL game, and with most of the crowd of 13,230 joining in, he was close to tearing up.

“That’ was probably one of the most special things I’ve experienced as a hockey player,” Hedman said after Friday’s 3-2 win over Buffalo. “The first three shifts were a little off for myself. Once I got settled, I got better.”

This whole experience was emotional for Hedman, just as he knew it would be. He said he was very into the atmosphere and sharing the win with cheering Lightning fans very special.

If a Florida city the size of Tampa suburb Town 'n Country had produced some of the world's greatest NFL players, you'd better understand the impact Victor Hedman's Swedish hometown has had on the NHL. #GoBolts @TBLightning https://t.co/FJgK0PBQKI

Answering questions for almost four minutes, Hedman said the word special about six times and added in others like phenomenal and unbelievable.

Getting the win made the game so much better. The experience may be phenomenal but these games count. The Lightning played one of their best games of the season, bringing together the pieces they’ve been talking about.

“We played a pretty complete game,” forward Alex Killorn said. “And we haven’t had that for a big part of the season.”

The Lightning have been taking their game apart to put it back together again. They don’t want a whole new identity — they’re always good to be a fast, skilled team — but to tweak it to add more defensive responsibility.

On Friday, they showed that. Like they have done in the past, the Lightning possessed the puck much of the night. But this wasn’t the kind of offense that covers up your defensive issues. This was offense that came from the defense.

They exited the defensive zone quickly, moving the puck up.

Take the first goal. Defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk saw an opportunity to put the Lightning on the rush. He rimmed the puck around the boards hard from behind their own net. It came up to Brayden Point, who carried it into the zone with speed and Nikita Kucherov advancing through the center of the ice. All Point had to do was slide the puck over and Kucherov finished the one-timer.

“That’s a world-class finish,” coach Jon Cooper said. “Great from Shatty to recognize that and wrap that around. Pointer throws that over to him and I have yet to see if that puck hit the ice and Kuch puts it in.”

It was a very Kucherov, and very Lightning goal. That first goal, 3:14 into the game, demonstrated that this team can be dangerous offensively and responsible defensively.

Another side of that is the forecheck, which created Yanni Gourde’s goal in the third period.

Winger Pat Maroon battled behind the net, using his size to wrap the puck around and through goaltender Linus Ullmark’s pads. It popped out to Gourde at the far post and he scored the eventual game-winner on the rebound.

“We chipped the puck in and we were really good on the forecheck,” Gourde said. “That’s something we’ve talked about a lot in the past. Our forecheck is our greatest asset and we have to utilize it”

The other important piece for the Lightning is goaltending. Nothing changes for Andrei Vasilevskiy with the tweaks to the system, but he has been inconsistent just as the team has to start the season. He didn’t have to make too many big saves, the team kept the shots down in front of him, but he turned away 20 of the 22 he saw. 1160802 Tampa Bay Lightning Näslund returned to MoDo after his NHL career, something people in O- vik wonder if Hedman will do. Näslund played one more year there and then served as general manager from 2010 to 2014.

Victor Hedman follows other stars’ path from their shared hometown He said it isn’t a big deal for a NHL or former NHL player to walk down the street. It’s common to socialize with hockey players. That familiarity brings players like Hedman, who owns two homes there, back for the offseason and after their careers. It also means kids grow up knowing the By Diana C. Nearhos NHL is a possibility.

Even with all of the history coming out of Örnsköldsvik, Hedman’s mother STOCKHOLM — Victor Hedman doesn’t usually get nervous before Elizabeth never predicted this trajectory for her son when he was young. games. Not anymore. But this week he felt some nerves. His father Olle was the equipment manager at MoDo for 20 years. Her older two sons were on track to play there (and Oscar still does). She This is not just any game. He’s playing an NHL game in his home expected the same for Victor. country. To see where he is now, not only playing in the NHL but headlining a “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to come back home and play with major event, is “overklig.” It’s unreal. the team that I’ve been a part of for more than 10 years,” Hedman said before arriving in Stockholm. “It’s going to be an emotional couple of Hedman wants to be to the next generation what the Sedins, Forsberg days.” and Naslund were for him. He hosts a hockey school each summer in Örnsköldsvik. Hockey is an expensive sport and it wants it to be available He never thought he’d be able to do something like this when he left to everyone. He wants the next Forsberg, the next Hedman to have Sweden as an 18-year-old to go play in the NHL. Hedman called this a chance. dream come true, but it’s one of those dreams you don’t know you have until it comes true. MORE LIGHTNING: Sign up for our Lightning Strikes newsletter to get exclusive content straight to your inbox As a child, Hedman looked up to many NHL players and there are even more Swedes in the NHL than there were 15 years ago. Sweden has Playing in front of those kids, including his niece and three nephews (one steadily narrowed the gap with Canada for most NHL players per capita. sporting a Lightning blue and white cast on his broken elbow), this weekend is part of what makes this experience special. And Hedman ranks as one of the biggest Swedish stars in the league right now. “We’re all proud of Victor,” Näslund said. “Not just our hometown but for Sweden in general. Taking his game to the level he has. He’s on a world- Not only does he hail from a hockey country, but also one of the biggest class level and he’s in the running for Norris every year. He’s not close to hockey cities in Sweden. Örnsköldsvik, might have sent the most stars to being finished.” the NHL per capita. It’s at least in the conversation. Forsberg is the country’s biggest name, but Hedman is Örnsköldsvik’s “It’s super special,” Hedman said of Örnsköldsvik’s legacy. “I think we latest and greatest. They’re all watching and rooting. have only 65,000 people in our community and we have all those players. The Sedin twins (Daniel and Henrik), (Peter) Forsberg, (Markus) Näslund, hall of famers, so that’s super special for me. I was lucky.” Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 Buffalo also has two players from O-vik, as the locals call it. Buffalo’s Victor Olofsson is from Örnsköldsvik. Sabres backup goalie Linus Ullmark was born in Lugnvik, about 45 miles south, but spent most of his Swedish career with MoDo, the Örnsköldsvik club.

The three of them account for about 100 fans making the 350 mile trip to Stockholm and that’s just the fans they know about.

“It’s an honor representing O-vik, for sure,” Olofsson said. “It’s cool being here with Hedman as well. We worked out together a lot. I’ve gotten to know him really well so it’s going to be special to play against him.”

Hockey fandom in Örnsköldsvik has followed its players. Colorado was very popular for Forsberg, arguably the greatest Swedish hockey player. When the Daniel and Henrik Sedin and Markus Näslund all played for Vancouver, the Canucks led the city. Now, most of Örnsköldsvik line up behind the Lightning.

O-vik’s NHL history goes back to Anders Hedburg, who signed with Winnipeg of the WHA in 1974 and then the Rangers in 1978. But it was the 1973 birth year that really broke through.

Forsberg and Näslund are the obvious big names, making it to the NHL in 1994 and 1993. Andreas Salomonsson and Hans Jonsson were also born that year and made it to the league by 2001.

“Some people say it’s the water, some say it’s the education system, some say it’s the leaders in MoDo,” said Adam Johansson, a reporter for Mittmedia in Örnsköldsvik. “But I think the guys that were born in ’73, they set the standard for coming guys. So the bar was very high for the next generation.”

There’s nothing like seeing someone like you do something to make you believe you can as well. With that list of players in the NHL, younger players had someone to point to, a model to follow.

“That’s a big factor,” Näslund said. “That goes back to Anders Hedberg. The next guys growing up, they had the same coaches as the guys in our era had. They can compare, and give feedback and give them things to think about.” 1160803 Tampa Bay Lightning

Sweden trip is a chance for other European Lightning players as well

By Diana C. Nearhos

STOCKHOLM — This may be Victor Hedman’s home country, but the Lightning also brought six other European players closer to home with this trip to Sweden.

“I know some Russian fans will come over because it’s a short flight,” Andrei Vasilevskiy said. “It’s pretty exciting.”

For any of the European players’ families to come to Tampa is something of a production. They rarely make the trip for less than two weeks, some look for opportunities to spend a month in the States.

Stockholm is a reasonable weekend trip, within about a three-hour flight from their hometowns, and thus a chance to see their sons, brothers and friends play.

Jan Rutta’s sister, Denisa, had the easiest trip. She lives outside of Stockholm and planned to meet Rutta in the city and attend the game.

Ondrej Palat’s parents arrived Thursday. He planned to see them for dinners, and Hana and Pavel hoped to explore a new city while he practiced. They usually make two trips to Tampa and are planning to spend Christmas there with his 1-year-old daughter Adela.

Erik Cernak’s parents didn’t make the trip because they’re flying to Tampa on Sunday instead. He did have a group of friends coming into Stockholm, as well.

Alex Volkov’s parents wanted to come but could not get a visa in time when Volkov was recalled last week. They are hoping to make a trip to Tampa soon, however, to see their son in his first NHL stint.Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160804 Toronto Maple Leafs

Sunday NHL preview: Toronto Maple Leafs at Chicago Blackhawks

By Mark ZwolinskiSports Reporter

Sat., Nov. 9, 2019

UNITED CENTER

FACEOFF: 7 p.m.

TV: Sportsnet

RADIO: Sportsnet 590 The FAN

NEED TO KNOW

Goal starved: The Blackhawks faced the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Chicago was 2-1-1 over its previous four games. Prior to that, they had lost four of five. The Blackhawks had the lowest goal total in the Western Conference after 15 games, with 58.

Brother to brother: Chicago forward Alex Nylander will face his older brother William for the first time since becoming a Blackhawk in a July trade with the Sabres. While he never quite caught on with Buffalo, Alex is now on the top line in Chicago with Jonathan Toews and Brandon Saad. He had two goals and five assists entering Saturday’s game. Both Nylanders were drafted eighth overall: William in 2014, Alex in 2016.

Leaf killer Kane: Patrick Kane usually has good games against the Leafs. The Hawks veteran has 12 goals and 14 assists in 17 career games against Toronto and was on a four-game points streak (two goals, five assists) heading into Saturday after managing just one assist in his previous five games.

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160805 Toronto Maple Leafs

Fears for Marner after ankle injury in Leafs’ shootout loss to Flyers

Mark Zwolinski

Sat., Nov. 9, 2019

Heading into a stretch where they’ll play 13 of 15 games on the road, the Maple Leafs will be without front-line winger Mitch Marner indefinitely.

Marner suffered a right ankle injury off the opening faceoff of the second period in the Leafs’ 3-2 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night. It’s bad enough to keep Marner home while the team plays in Chicago on Sunday night. How bad is another question.

“I mean, what are you gonna do,” coach said after the game, in which Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier scored for the visitors in the shootout.

“I don’t know the extent — days, weeks. No sense dwelling on the negatives. Someone else gets an opportunity. Let’s go.”

On the play, Marner lined up beside Flyers winger Carsen Twarynski, who took Marner’s leg out from under him in a positional battle. Marner was in obvious pain as he tried to limp-crawl to the bench. Teammate Ilya Mikheyev leaned over the boards to help Marner, who was unable to put any weight on his right leg.

The injury comes with winger Zach Hyman, returning from off-season knee surgery, expected to make his season debut some time this coming week. The Leafs have not had their top line from a year ago — Marner, Hyman and John Tavares — together all season.

Against the Flyers, they moved Kasperi Kapanen up from the third line to take Marner’s place with Tavares and Trevor Moore. It’s likely that Kapanen will get to run with that assignment while Marner’s out.

Marner tested his leg out twice during a commercial break later in the second period and returned for a power play before leaving for good near the end of the frame.

Marner hasn’t missed a game since 2016-17, his rookie season. He played in 77 games that year.

For the Leafs: They rallied furiously with Marner out. The Auston Matthews line with Andreas Johnsson and William Nylander was buzzing all night, and triggered all the offence in a 40-shot attack (32 in regulation). The Flyers went up 2-0 on goals by Philippe Myers and Oskar Lindblom before Nylander sent a perfect pass from the side boards to set up Travis Dermott’s first goal of the season. Nylander then tied the game off a terrific, behind-the-net setup from Matthews.

Trick shot artist: Matthews and other Leafs have been itching to try to replicate the lacrosse goal scored by Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov on Oct. 29. Matthews actually tried to get the puck to roll up on his stick so he could attempt to stuff it in against the Flyers “but it didn’t get on my stick, so I passed it.” The pass led to one of his two assists on the night. “They were our best (line) tonight. In the first period, they were the only line to generate,” Babcock said of the Matthews line.

Nylander heats up: Nylander scored the Leafs’ lone goal in the shootout, finishing one of his best games of the season. He has two goals and three assists over his last five games and has registered at least one point in 11 of 18 games this season.

Earning ice time: Dermott jumped up against the end glass in celebration after his goal, which came after he had his minutes reduced in the third period of the Leafs’ win over Vegas on Thursday. “I don’t think about that much,” Babcock said of the ice-time reduction. “I just figure (Dermott) is the last player to come back, he’s got to earn the confidence of (assistant coach ) … He’s got to sort things out.”

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160806 Toronto Maple Leafs Kade Foster, sister Emily and parents Jason and Sara meet Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen before Saturday's game in Toronto.

Marner, who has notably connected with many young fans — flips pucks ‘It’s hard to believe.’ Kade Foster, 11, meets Maple Leafs one week after to them over the glass during the warm-up, has befriended in particular lonely birthday party tweet went viral youngsters who are grievously ill — got the ball rolling, with the help of GM Kyle Dubas and the Leafs’ PR staff.

“That was our big surprise, to bring him down here, get him in the locker Rosie DiManno room, get him to the game tonight,” said Marner. “It’s a cool moment for him and for us.” Sat., Nov. 9, 2019 Marner explained why he’d been so moved.

“I mean, I know growing up, all those birthday parties, they mean a lot to Out of sadness, stupendous joy. you as a kid. Especially having all your friends over for whatever is Because Kade Foster has made a whole whack of new friends — planned — usually pizza and some other snacks involved. So when we including the entire Toronto Maple Leafs hockey team. saw it, our group chat-texted each other and said, let’s try and plan something up here for a surprise. Players welcomed the just-turned-11-year-old into their dressing room on Saturday morning, before their game-day skate. “He was pretty quiet. I think he was a little stunned, a little shocked. We gave him a gift and I’m sure he’s going to love that too. Through our “It’s hard to believe,” said Kade. “They were all really nice to me.” eyes, it looked like he had a lot of fun in the locker room.

The kids back in Massey Drive — a hamlet outside Corner Brook, N.L. — “Any time you have a chance to change someone’s life, you want to do must be green with envy as Kade was drawn into a big blue and white it.” embrace. Most of all, no doubt, the kids who failed to turn up for the boy’s birthday party last weekend. On Friday, as an early Christmas present, the Foster parents gave both their son and eight-year-old daughter Leaf jerseys with Marner’s name on Not a single one of the invited guests showed for the festivities his the back. Marner signed these ones. The entire family was ushered into parents had organized. the locker room for a 20-minute visit and team photo. Then, in the corridor, the players gave Kade fist-bumps as they made their way onto “He kept going back and forth to the window, to see if anybody was the ice. coming,” says mom Sara. “He didn’t cry, not that I saw. He was pretty brave about it.” Kade watched practice from behind the Leaf net, frankly in awe, and flinching every time a puck banged off the ice. He retrieved two of them But how heartbreaking is that? that came over the glass. Kids can be so cruel. Or just thoughtless. Except the invitations had been The Leafs spent a week on the Rock during training camp but tickets delivered to their parents and adults are expected to be wiser about such were sold out before the Fosters could buy any. This was so much more things. Nobody called to say they couldn’t make it either. memorable anyway. Kade’s father, Jason, was so dismayed he tweeted out his The family’s adventure began on Friday when they were flown to Toronto disappointment the following day. “My son Kade had his 11th birthday courtesy of Air Canada — first time on a plane for Kade and Emily. The party last night. None of his invited friends came. That hurt. I’m asking plane was full of balloons and “Happy Birthday” sung by the passengers. my Twitter friends to show him some love today. If you have a minute, please send him a birthday wish.” Both Jason and Sara were careful not to remonstrate anyone over not attending the party. “Everybody’s busy. I’m sure they had other things to Kade Foster, 11, received a free trip to Toronto and an outpouring of do,” said Jason. “Newfoundlanders are friendly people. I’m sure they support on social media after no one showed up to his birthday party last didn’t mean to hurt Kade.” week. And Kade, a Grade 6 student at tiny J.J. Curling Elementary School, said Like “It’s a Wonderful Life,” updated for the modern social media he’s forgiven his no-show friends. “At school last week, they told me they universe, the response was staggering. were sorry they didn’t come and they even gave me some presents.” As of late Saturday afternoon, there were 180,000 likes, more than From the team, Kade received a goodie bag of Leaf swag, Adidas gear 53,000 replies and nearly 26,000 retweets, sending Kade birthday and tickets for the Hockey Hall of Fame. There was a further prize greetings. His mother said the original tweet had been seen seven million midway through the first period, when Carlton the Bear wheeled out a times. birthday cake and Kade blew out the candles as nearly 19,000 well- “Overwhelming,” said Jason, in his thick Newfoundland accent. “I figured wishers serenaded him with “Happy Birthday.” maybe we’d get a dozen or so, from the local community. But it was The Foster family watched their first live NHL game from the posh picked up everywhere.” platinum seats. Indeed, Kade heard from NHLers, Major League players, actors Kade just started playing organized hockey last year. “I can play any Mark Hamill, Ben Stiller and Zach Braff, CNN anchor Jake Tapper, “Buffy position.” the Vampire Slayer” creator Joss Whedon and Ontario Premier Doug Ford. And one thing the boy definitely wanted to make clear: “I’m a big Toronto Maple Leaf fan.” But the responses that really sent the youngster over the moon were from Mitch Marner and Leaf captain John Tavares — the two players No kidding, kiddo. depicted on his birthday cake — who Jason had tagged on the tweet.

“Obviously, no one likes to see that,” said Tavares, who recently became a first-time father himself. Toronto Star LOADED: 11.10.2019

“I think every birthday experience, especially at that age, is always special. So when that came across, we wanted to do something, give him something to celebrate and be happy about.

“It was awesome to see him being such a big Maple Leaf fan, wanted to give him an incredible experience. Great to have him and his family here to celebrate his birthday.”

Hockey players, bruh. 1160807 Toronto Maple Leafs Jake Muzzin backing into Andersen’s line of sight. Phil Myers had the screen goal.

The Leafs also talked about avoiding the penalty box, but that lasted less Maple Leafs lose Marner to injury and shootout to Flyers than three minutes, Nick Shore off for tripping and then a costly minor to Ilya Mikheyev for interference. On the latter, Travis Konecny’s shot was tipped nicely by Oskar Lindblom in the short side.

Lance Hornby “I think we knew there was a lot of hockey left,” said Tavares. “I don’t think we ever felt terrible about the way we were playing. We knew we November 9, 2019 11:47 PM EST could just keep pushing and find another level and just try to get through the neutral zone a little better than we did at times.

TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS “(Marner) is such a big part of our team, plays a very significant role and makes great plays. But I thought the group responded well and had every GAME DAY: Flyers at Maple Leafs opportunity to win it. Hopefully, it’s nothing very serious.”

The thought of missing leading scorer Mitch Marner for a few games was The Leafs dialled up their attack in the second period with Nylander a cloud over the Maple Leafs all summer before he signed his $65.3- perfectly hitting Dermott in stride for a high snap. After missing the first million US deal during camp. month of the schedule recovering from spring shoulder surgery, it was Dermott’s first regular-season goal since Groundhog Day. But Marner is now MIA for real — maybe one day, maybe more — with an ankle injury suffered in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the “That was awesome to get the adrenalin really going,” Dermott said. “It Philadelphia Flyers. Battling for position on the opening draw of the definitely makes you feel right back in it.’ second period, he suddenly hobbled to the bench. He went to the dressing room and tried to come back, but the Leafs eventually scratched LEST WE FORGET him and said he wouldn’t fly with the team to Sunday’s road tilt in In the club’s annual Remembrance Day ceremony, four World War II Chicago. Marner has not missed a game in the previous two full seasons veterans were honoured before game: 95-year-old Mary Jarvis, who and had 18 points in 17 games this term, one behind club leader Auston drove a jeep and other military vehicles for the Canadian Women’s Army Matthews. Corps, Leslie Webb of the Army Service Corps (97), Jim Lister of the “What are you gonna do? It’s hockey, injuries happen and you find out Royal Canadian Navy (91) and 100-year-old Richard Hodgins of the more about other guys,” said coach Mike Babcock. “I don’t know the Royal Canadian Air Force. extent of this, if it’s a few days or a few weeks. No sense dwelling on the During the moment of silence, a field of blowing poppies was projected negative; someone else gets an opportunity so let’s go.” on the entire ice surface. It’s possible centre Jason Spezza, the lone extra forward after Nic THE 700 CLUB Petan’s demotion, was coming into the lineup anyway for the back to back against the Blackhawks, but the Leafs will need him now with Zach Nylander has five points in his past five games and was 6-1 on faceoffs Hyman at least one more game away after spring knee surgery. Saturday … The Flyers still haven’t lost when leading after two periods (6-0-0) … Konecny now has points in 13 of 16 games for the Flyers … Kasperi Kapanen filled Marner’s role on Saturday with John Tavares and Andreas Johnsson played in his 100th NHL game for Toronto … In Trevor Moore. Rather than fold when Marner departed down 2-0, it was Grand Rapids, defenceman Timothy Liljegren did not return after a first the cue for a Leaf rally. William Nylander led the way, finding rushing period lower body injury … Also with multiple points games for the defenceman Travis Dermott with a perfect dish halfway through the Marlies, Pierre Engvall, Rasmus Sandin and Kenny Agostino. second and scoring himself on a Matthews’ centring pass. Nylander also had the Leafs’ lone shootout goal.

And after a brilliant sequence of late saves to extend the team’s run of at Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.10.2019 least one point in the past five games, its longest since early last February, Frederik Andersen was beaten twice in the shootout. He lost this duel to Philly’s Brian Elliott, after beating him in an 11-round marathon on Philly last week.

And after three straight games where they had to kill an overtime penalty, the Leafs had a seven-second advantage on a Philly bench minor, with Nylander stopped at the horn.

SPEZZA IS READY

Spezza was scratched a second straight game on Saturday, not used after one of his best efforts against the Flyers a week ago. It’s more uncertainty than Spezza has ever had to deal with in his career as a regular, no matter if he plays Sunday.

“Bad news is never easy to deliver,” Babcock said before the Flyer game of benching anyone. “We (himself and Spezza) sat down and talked again the other day. There has been constant dialogue the whole time and constant dialogue prior to making the decision (to use Spezza sparingly) before he came here.

“He has constant dialogue with (general manager) Kyle Dubas, too, and we just go from there.”

Petan had a point on Saturday in the farm team Marlies’ 5-2 win in Grand Rapids.

“Staying the course, not getting in your own way,” was how Babcock described the key elements to the Leafs’ three-game win streak coming in.

But that’s what Toronto did on the first Flyer goal, which originated on a Nylander wraparound attempt. He whiffed on the shot, the Flyers eventually got the puck back and came up ice on an odd-man rush, with 1160808 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs give jilted birthday boy a heck of a party

Lance Hornby

November 9, 2019

GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Senators weather storm to beat Hurricanes

Kade Foster went from the heartbreak of no one coming to his birthday party to guest of honour in front of 19,000 people at Saturday’s Maple Leafs game.

The shy 11-year-old from tiny Massey Drive, N.L., and his family were flown in by the Leafs and given two days of VIP treatment, culminating with meeting the entire team before the game against the Flyers.

“He got a personal call from John Tavares inviting him here,” said dad Jason Foster, as his wide-eyed son took in both the Leafs and Flyers morning skate. “The whole experience has been amazing. Kade has been pretty excited. It might take awhile before this sinks in completely, but one of the lessons we’ve all learned is that there’s a lot of people out there who care — and shows us the power of social media.”

When Jason sent out a tweet of Kade in his Leafs sweater, merely asking for some feel-good responses of support after no invited guests came to his party, the reaction was overwhelming. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and actor Ben Stiller were among celebrities sending best wishes.

My son Kade had his 11th birthday party last night. None of his invited friends came. That hurt. I’m asking my Twitter friends to show him some love today. If you have a minute, please send him a birthday wish. @Marner93 @91Tavares @MapleLeafs #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/kn0vP1l6z8

— Jason Foster (@NLWildlife) November 3, 2019

“I have a pretty small Twitter feed and this is one of those things that just took off,” said Jason, who works in fisheries and land resources for the Newfoundland and Labrador government. “Our community, Kade’s school and his friends have been awesome since all this happened.”

During a timeout, the Leafs further surprised Kade by spotlighting him in the crowd and getting the whole rink to serenade him with Happy Birthday.

General manager Kyle Dubas started the ball rolling on the Leafs’ behalf and Kade, Jason, wife Sara and eight-year-old Emily drove Friday morning from Massey Drive, near Corner Brook, to the small airport in Deer Lake and on to Toronto. They spent the day at the Hockey Hall of Fame and Ripley’s Aquarium before Saturday’s dressing room tour and sitting in on coach Mike Babcock’s pre-game meeting with the players. The family also was featured in an impromptu team photo.

Meeting the guys.#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/MCdvgzLap5

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 9, 2019

“Mitch just signed my jersey in the locker room,” Kade said as he sorted through a gift bag the club also provided the whole family. “My favourite thing has been the Hall of Fame and watching the Leafs.”

Kade also tried on a Curtis Joseph mask the club has in its collection.

Marner remembered hockey-themed birthdays when he was a kid.

“That meant a lot to you growing up. There’s usually pizza and snacks and a lot of fun for kids. (When hearing of Kade’s birthday let-down) our group texted among ourselves and were able to plan something for him.

“Any time you have a chance to try and change someone’s life, you do it.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160809 Toronto Maple Leafs “Chuck and I don’t bet on these games,” laughed the 84-year-old Cliff of their teams’ many meetings when Chuck worked for other NHL organizations. “I only care if the Leafs are ahead of the Flyers in the standings at the end of regular season” … Babcock was asked about JVR's ex-Leaf pals are Cup winners reaching 700 coaching wins earlier this week and praised his wife Maureen and his children: “Anyone in life given the gift of a great family

gets to build a foundation, because you’re around good people every Lance Hornby day”.

November 9, 2019 5:58 PM EST

Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.10.2019

GARRIOCH GAME REPORT: Senators weather storm to beat Hurricanes

James van Riemsdyk has now watched both his former Toronto linemates Phil Kessel and Tyler Bozak win Stanley Cups and go to the White House. Is his time coming?

“I’d like to think so,” said JVR on Saturday morning at the SBA before playing the Leafs. “They say things happen in threes, so let’s see.”

The trio were the Leafs’ top line up until Mike Babcock became coach, with Kessel traded and then Bozak and JVR leaving as free agents with St. Louis and Philadelphia, respectively, in the summer of 2018.

“I just had the chance to see Tyler at my (summer home) in Minnesota, he was up for a wedding,” JVR said. “I was super excited for him to win at that level and live out a dream. Our friendship will last a long time after we’re done playing hockey.”

EXTRA PERIOD, BIG TROUBLE

The Leafs were hoping to avoid overtime drama for a potential fourth time in the past five games on Saturday — or at least get through the extra period without having to kill a penalty.

That unusual circumstance occurred in games against Washington (a loss) Philadelphia (shootout win) and Las Vegas (a win, though the penalty was called in regulation and bled into OT. The resulting short- handed situations are 4-on-3’s, which the Leafs rarely practice.

According to the NHL, the Leafs have not faced three straight overtime game power plays since early in the 1992-93 season. The last team to face killing in three straight OT games was the Colorado Avalanche in the autumn of last year.

“That’s not a fun thing to start overtime with,” said winger Mitch Marner. “But we’ve done a pretty good job of it, Freddie has been the backbone a bit and made some massive saves, (Jake) Muzzin and (Cody) Ceci have done a great job cutting off passes and getting in lanes.

“Let’s hope we’re not in the box (at all). We have done a really good job at three penalties or under, but once we give four or five, teams realize what they have to do to beat you.”

HUTCH IS READY

Goalie Michael Hutchinson will try a fifth time to get his first win this season on Sunday in Chicago. He’s 0-for-4, all in the second of back-to- backs when the club hasn’t been it’s freshest. Hutchinson has not mentioned that as an excuse, but with the Hawks near the bottom of the Western Conference standings, this could be an optimal chance for him.

The lively United Center is where last year’s back-up, Garret Sparks, won his first game.

“It’s a really fun building to play in,” said Hutchinson of his starts there with Winnipeg. “Right from the national anthem it gets you fired up, focused and ready to play. The fans are right on top of you.

“I’ve felt my game has progressed the last two starts. Our team is rolling right now and hopefully we keep that going into (Sunday).”

LOOSE LEAFS

Though forward Nic Petan is back with the Marlies and Martin Marincin has also cleared waivers, Babcock insists the two are not out of mind. The Leafs face having to demote Marincin, too, and one other player when Zach Hyman and his salary are activated from injury next week, but with the back-to-back, they require Marincin as the seventh defenceman. “They’re all in the program, we need people,” Babcock said … Leafs senior advisor Cliff Fletcher and son Chuck, the GM of the Flyers, both watched morning skate on Saturday, but at opposite ends of SBA. 1160810 Toronto Maple Leafs

Special guest to attend Leafs-Flyers game tonight

Lance Hornby

November 9, 2019 1:25 PM EST

GAME DAY: Flyers at Maple Leafs

Win or lose Saturday night, the Maple Leafs have made Kade Foster’s day.

The 11-year-old Newfoundlander who was heartbroken when no invited guests attended his birthday party last week, was flown to Toronto with his parents and younger sister by the club and given the VIP treatment by the team prior to watching them play Saturday against the Philadelphia Flyers.

“He got a personal call from John Tavares inviting him here,” said Jason Foster as his wide-eyed son took in both teams’ morning skate after a tour of Scotiabank Arena. “We came in today, met the team and Kade is pretty excited. One of the lessons we’ve all learned is that there’s a lot of people out there who care – and the power of social media.”

When Jason sent out a tweet of Kade in his Leaf sweater, merely asking for some feel-good responses of support, the reaction was over- whelming. Even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and actor Ben Stiller sent best wishes to the shy lad.

My son Kade had his 11th birthday party last night. None of his invited friends came. That hurt. I’m asking my Twitter friends to show him some love today. If you have a minute, please send him a birthday wish. @Marner93 @91Tavares @MapleLeafs #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/kn0vP1l6z8

— Jason Foster (@NLWildlife) November 3, 2019

General manager Kyle Dubas started the ball rolling on the Leafs’ behalf and the family arrived early Friday morning from the Corner Brook area via the small airport in Deer Lake, N.L. They spent the day at the Hockey Hall Of Fame and Ripley’s Aquarium before Saturday’s building and dressing room tour, also invited to sit in on coach Mike Babcock’s pre- game meeting with the players and be in an impromptu team photo.

“Mitch just signed my jersey,” said Kade as he sorted through a gift bag the club also provided.

Marner remembered hockey-themed birthdays when he was a kid.

“That meant a lot to you growing up. There’s usually pizza and snacks and a lot of fun for kids. (When hearing of Kade’s birthday let down) our group texted among ourselves and were able to plan something for him. Any time you have a chance to try and change someone’s life, you try and do it.”

The Leafs will be going for a fourth straight win on Saturday, last accomplished in early February of last season. They beat the Flyers in a club record 11-round shootout last Saturday.

Frederik Andersen starts in goal again with Toronto once more vowing to stay out of the penalty box and do more with its power play.

“You don’t want to rely on (Andersen stopping) point blank chances,” Tavares said. “No question we want to dictate terms. We want to defend well.”

The Leafs will try and wrap this game up in regulation after overtime has been needed in three of the past four, of which they were short-handed in all extra periods. That has not happened to Toronto since 1992-93.

Forward Nic Petan is with the Marlies after clearing waivers on Friday, but defenceman Martin Marincin remains with the Leafs after he passed through as well. The Leafs are keeping a Sunday back-to-back in Chicago in mind.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160811 Toronto Maple Leafs Travis Dermott, Justin Holl GOALIES

Frederik Andersen GAME DAY: Flyers at Maple Leafs Michael Hutchinson

SICK BAY Lance Hornby LW Zach Hyman (knee) November 9, 2019 7:50 AM EST FLYERS GAME DAY LINES

LW C RW PHILADELPHIA FLYERS at MAPLE LEAFS James van Riemsdyk Claude Giroux Jakub Voracek Saturday, 7 p.m., Scotiabank Arena Oskar Lindblom Sean Couturier Travis Konecny TV: Sportsnet/HNIC RADIO: FAN 590 Carsen Twarnyski Kevin Hayes Joel Farabee THE BIG MATCH-UP Michael Raffl Mikhail Vorobyov Tyler Pitlick G Frederik Andersen vs. LW Travis Konecny DEFENCE PAIRINGS Andersen goes for a homestand sweep, a week after his 10 shootout saves in Philly started the ball rolling on a three-game win streak. The Ivan Provorov Matt Niskanen question is, which team will give him more of a challenge, the visitors or the Leafs, whose slow starts have increased their reliance on his heroics. Shayne Gostisbehere Justin Braun Konecny has been an industrious player for the Flyers, showing several Travis Sanheim Philippe Myers sides to his game against Toronto and again in Thursday’s home overtime win over the Canadiens. GOALIES

KEYS TO THE GAME Carter Hart

1. ORANGE CRUSH Brian Elliott

The Flyers must have sore hands from banging on the door so often of SICK BAY late. Forty regulation and overtime shots against the Leafs last week, 43 more against Carey Price Thursday, all producing just five goals. But C Nolan Patrick (head) they also scored four in just 24 shots in a mid-week tilt against the C Scott Laughton (finger) Hurricanes. SPECIAL TEAMS Coach Alain Vigneault saw that close loss to the Leafs as a sign of coming success and he has been proven right so far this week. POWER PLAY

2. TONIGHT’S MENU SPECIAL Toronto 17.2% (21st)

The Leafs insist they’ll unclog the pipes on their power play, but after the Philadelphia 21.7% (11th) well-schooled Golden Knights easily defused five of the first six on Thursday, that remains to be seen. The Flyers have a pretty good kill PENALTY KILLING unit, too. And how about the one-time Broad St. Bullies not taking one Toronto 77.3% (24th) penalty on Thursday, just the sixth time in a half century. Philadelphia 83.7% (11th) 3. LAST CASTING CALL

This game and Sunday’s in Chicago will be important for Leaf fourth liners trying to stay on the main roster before Zach Hyman’s return Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.10.2019 necessitates cuts. It’s unknown if Jason Spezza will get back in. He had his best game of the year against the Flyers, but Nick Shore won eight of 13 draws versus Vegas. The Flyers are getting good shifts from their fourth line, too.

4. GOTTA HAVE HART?

Brian Elliott played well against Toronto last week, but Carter Hart is Philly’s future and the young Albertan would relish a Hockey Night In Canada opportunity. He lost a 5-4 home game to Toronto last season.

5. CLOSING NUMBERS

The Flyers rank first in the Eastern Conference in third period goals with 23, having played two games less than Toronto, which has 18.

LEAFS GAME DAY LINES

LW C RW

Andreas Johnsson Auston Matthews William Nylander

Trevor Moore John Tavares Mitch Marner

Ilya Mikheyev Alexander Kerfoot Kasperi Kapanen

Dmytro Timashov Nick Shore Frederik Gauthier

DEFENCE PAIRINGS

Morgan Rielly, Cody Ceci

Jake Muzzin, Tyson Barrie 1160812 Toronto Maple Leafs The end of his night began after the faceoff tangle with Twarynski. Marner pushed himself to the bench, where he was helped off the ice by teammates. He tried to play another shift but hit the ice again.

Mitch Marner goes down, will miss first regular-season game since his Marner gave it one final try during a timeout. He skated near the door rookie year leading to the tunnel while the television audience was away in a commercial. He carved several long C-cuts into the ice but ultimately was not able to return.

By Sean Fitz-Gerald “Obviously,” Twarynski said, “it’s not my intention.”

Nov 9, 2019 The rookie made the most of his 12 minutes of ice time on Saturday. He had two shots on net and also landed a thundering bodycheck on

Morgan Rielly, nearly sending the Leafs defenceman into the Flyers Carsen Twarynski, the 21-year-old rookie forward with the Flyers, was bench. showered and changed and in a hallway outside the visiting dressing Tavares found him with about eight minutes to play in the third period, room. He had just completed the 11th game of his NHL career, and he sending Twarynski down to the ice. The Leafs radio crew wondered on had co-starred in a video highlight that would be replayed long after the air if it might not have been worthy of a tripping penalty. There was no team charter left town. call on the ice. “I hope he’s all right,” he said. “You never like to see guys go down “I play hard, and guys are going to play me hard — shit like that’s going awkward like that.” to happen, pardon my language,” Twarynski said. “I’m not a dirty player, Twarynski had gotten tangled with Leafs forward Mitch Marner off a by any means. I like to keep it within the rulebook and play hard and play faceoff in the second period of Saturday night’s game at Scotiabank physical.” Arena. His stick ended up between Marner’s legs, and the blade found its way beneath Marner’s left skate, sending him down to the ice. The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 “He stepped on it,” Twarynski said, “and went down awkwardly.”

In the highlight — which looks more painful the slower it is played — Marner’s left leg kicks out as he falls to the ice, and his right foot is stuck behind. As he falls, the full weight of the impact seems to land on that twisted right knee and the ankle.

Marner quickly pushed himself back up to his hands and knees and tried to stand up. When that failed, he went back down to his knees and pushed himself to the bench with his left foot. From a distance, it looked like he had lost a skate blade or suffered another kind of equipment malfunction.

The damage was greater than a new piece of steel.

Marner will not be available to the Leafs when they face the Blackhawks in Chicago on Sunday. Coach Mike Babcock made the announcement as the dust was still settling on the 3-2 shootout loss that ended Toronto’s hopeful three-game winning streak.

The team initially announced Marner had injured his ankle. It is not clear how much time he might be forced to miss. He has not missed a single regular-season game since his rookie season.

“What are you going to do? It’s hockey; injuries happen and you find out more about other guys,” Babcock said. “I don’t know the extent of this. I don’t know if it’s a few days or weeks or whatever. There’s no sense in dwelling on it.”

He moved Kasperi Kapanen up to play with captain John Tavares in Marner’s absence Saturday night, and he has one spare forward on the roster who he can use to plug the hole on the road Sunday. Veteran Jason Spezza watched from the press box as a healthy scratch.

The Leafs had been anticipating the possibility of dressing a full roster for the first time this season, as forward Zach Hyman prepares to return from offseason knee surgery. Tavares (fractured finger) and defenceman Travis Dermott (shoulder surgery) recently returned to active duty.

“Obviously, it’s not something we want to happen,” Tavares said. “He’s such a big part of our team; plays a very significant role and makes great plays. So, not ideal, but I thought the group responded well and had every opportunity to win it.”

Despite challenges at five-on-five, Marner is still averaging a point per game through 18 games this season. He was among the top-20 point- producers in the league when he went down in the second period, and he had threatened once in an otherwise quiet first two periods for the Leafs.

With the Leafs down 1-0 with five minutes to play in the first, Marner nearly tracked down a stretch pass from Jake Muzzin in the offensive zone. Flyers goaltender Brian Elliott skated well north of his blue paint to poke the puck to safety at the last second, sending Marner airborne in the process. 1160813 Toronto Maple Leafs Travis Dermott (LD, #23) — He worked his way back into the game after a few rough shifts, following it up with a great goal by jumping up in the play at the right time.

Leafs Report Cards: William Nylander finds his footing in Leafs’ loss to TRAVIS DERMOTT!  Flyers Dermott is clearly a talented player who I’m sure the coaching staff is trying to “settle down” in an attempt to prevent mistakes, but I wouldn’t want them to go too far with it. His aggressiveness in the neutral zone By Ian Tulloch and creativity on the breakout are a big part of what makes him such an Nov 9, 2019 impactful player at five-on-five. I’m still of the opinion that he would thrive in a top-four role alongside Morgan Rielly if he were ever given the opportunity, but we’ll never know if Cody Ceci keeps getting those minutes. Coming off of a three-game winning streak, the Leafs weren’t able to secure the victory on Saturday night against the Flyers, but they were Justin Holl (RD, #3) — I didn’t love his gap control in this game; he was able to secure one point in the standings thanks to stellar goaltending getting beat wide off the rush too often. When the puck was on his stick, and strong play from a pair of star forwards. It wasn’t exactly pretty, though, he might have been Toronto’s best puck-mover. He’s become so which has been a common theme with the Leafs’ style of play lately, but good at shedding the first forechecker and pushing the play forward to we’ll touch on that more in the final section. create a four-on-three up the ice. When the game was at its dullest, Holl was one of the few Maple Leafs who were able to generate some For now, let’s dive into the grades! offence, which is indicative of a bigger problem, which we’ll discuss in the Player reports coaching section.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ⭐⭐⭐

Game Ball : William Nylander (RW, #88) — I know a lot of Leafs fans Ilya Mikheyev (LW, #65) — Part of me loved the fact that Mikheyev was walking the line between interference and strong physical play heading get frustrated with Nylander, but it’s hard to get too upset with this kind of into a puck battle. He did cross that line and end up taking a penalty, but performance. He was dominant in transition, created tons of chances, aggressive plays like those on the forecheck tend to go uncalled in the scored the game-tying goal and even added a slick goal in the shootout playoffs. That kind of energy from a role player is what the Leafs need to boot. You can get mad at him for whiffing on a pass 10 seconds before more of, in my opinion, which is why I was so excited to see what Zach a goal against, but I’d argue that goal was more on Tyson Barrie (for Hyman would look like in a healthy lineup. The Mitch Marner situation turning the puck over), Andreas Johnsson (for being late on the has dampened the mood a bit on that front, but I still understand why so backcheck) and Frederik Andersen (for not making that save). many Leafs fans value the “lunch-pail” work that players like Hyman and I understand why fans get frustrated with Nylander’s effort, but Mikheyev provide. sometimes it results in us looking for reasons to get mad at him. He Trevor Moore (LW, #42) — He’s basically the 5-foot-9 version of those looked phenomenal in this game. Is it possible we can discuss that on two players, with a bit more speed and a lot more booty — we know how talk radio tomorrow? much Babcock appreciates his keister. In all seriousness, Moore Nope? More trade rumours? Got it. provided the energy you’d expect in puck pursuit, and also ended up hitting the crossbar with three minutes left in regulation. Auston Matthews (C, #34) — There were three very good candidates for this award Saturday night, but I decided to go with Matthews. I know it Cody Ceci (RD, #83) — I thought this was a pretty solid game from Ceci wasn’t his most dominant offensive game, but he was doing all the little defensively. He was closing his gaps better than usual, especially on the things right without the pick that fans have been looking for. We saw him penalty kill. His inability to settle down loose pucks is frustrating to watch, engaging in lots of one-on-one battles, making tons of stick checks and but we probably need to accept that he’s always going to struggle in that winning the puck back for his team with consistency. His Swedish partner department. On the bright side, he was jumping up in the play when the in crime did more of the work in transition, but overall, the two were a situation called for it and actually made a couple of nifty little moves in force to be reckoned with. Matthews also tried the lacrosse move again, the offensive zone. There’s some talent there with Ceci, but I still think which he almost pulled off. those talents would be better utilized on a more sheltered pairing.

WILLIAM NYLANDER  Coaching Staff — The topic du jour in Leafs land revolves around Tyson Barrie not getting PP1 time — which I would like to see him get — but I’m I guess he’ll have to settle for an assist on the play. not sure if it’s worth the #FireBabcock response considering how poorly Barrie has played this season. My bigger concern relates to how the Frederik Andersen (G, #31) — After giving up two early goals, Andersen team has been playing at even strength lately. It’s been awful to watch. looked as if he might be having an off-night. He slammed the door after that, making quite a few saves on high-quality looks. The most I understand that Mike Babcock is trying to encourage better defensive memorable was this flurry of chances from in tight, which Andersen habits in his star players. When Matthews and Nylander play tight hockey somehow kept out of the net. without the puck like they did tonight, they look fantastic. It gives them more room to make things happen offensively. With that being said, there For a team with so much talent up front, the Leafs sure have been relying must be a way to tighten things up defensively without sacrificing offence on their goaltending a lot in their past few games. Luckily for Toronto, the to the degree that Toronto has recently. calendar has flipped to November — which is when Andersen starts playing like a Vezina-quality goaltender. It’s a weird pattern, but hey, ⭐⭐ goalies are supposed to be weird! Morgan Rielly (LD, #44) — I find him much more difficult to evaluate than ⭐⭐⭐⭐ his partner, since Rielly’s physical tools and raw talent are on another level, but I haven’t loved Rielly’s play lately. He’s giving up way too much Kasperi Kapanen (RW, #24) — I really enjoyed his neutral zone defence space off the rush and isn’t skating hard to loose pucks. I found myself in this game. It’s probably not the first thing you think of with Kapanen’s yelling at my television when he coasted back in a one-on-one situation game, but his closing speed helps him cut off passing lanes super late in the third period of a tie game. It’s possible he’s a bit banged up or quickly, which was driving Philadelphia’s forwards crazy. He also made fatigued from playing so many minutes, but that’s all the more reason to some really slick plays with the puck. Check out this cool move off a give a talented defenceman like Dermott more rope. broken play. John Tavares (C, #91) — Sometimes there are players I’ll watch Later in the third period, Kapanen made a phenomenal cross-ice pass to throughout the course of a game and not notice very much, then I’ll look John Tavares that could have ended the game, but Carter Hart was able up at the box score and see that they controlled play well at five-on-five to make the save. and generated a few chances. Personally, this didn’t look like a strong game from Tavares, but his Game Score does look solid. Maybe this is an instance of Kapanen driving the results more, or maybe I simply missed some of the subtle plays Tavares was making to impact the Andersen’s stellar goaltending has helped mask the fact that the team game. Let me know what you think in the comments! has been getting out-chanced at five-on-five.

Andreas Johnsson (LW, #18) — This wasn’t Johnsson’s greatest night. I wrote about this earlier for my weekly Leafs column. The coaching staff He made a few aggressive plays I really liked defensively, but he also is clearly encouraging a more conservative playstyle, but it’s resulted in lost his man on the backcheck of a four-on-three rush. That puck ended the scoring chances drying up offensively. That doesn’t count as playing up in the back of the net, which isn’t entirely on Johnsson, but you’d like defence in my books — you’re just getting outplayed in a lower-event to see better positioning from a player who’s used to playing a game. backchecking role alongside two skilled offensive forwards. If the Leafs are going to establish themselves as a legitimate contender, Alexander Kerfoot (C, #15) — I found myself getting frustrated with they’ll need to find a way to tighten things up defensively without it stifling Kerfoot. Defensively, there were a few times he got his free hand caught the qualities that make them great. The Carolina Hurricanes have found in the cookie jar. He’s lucky he didn’t get called for another penalty, which a way to play that kind of hockey while playing an up-tempo game. I’d has become a consistent problem for him this season. I’ve loved his love to see the Leafs follow that kind of blueprint. effort in the dirty areas for such a small player, but at some point “not taking penalties” is an important part of defence and he’s really struggled Final Grade: B with it this season.

Another thing I’m sure fans are frustrated with is his tendency to “over- The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 pass” in situations when he should shoot. He had a Grade-A scoring chance in the third period but turned it down in pursuit of a better play that never came. With that being said, he also has the vision to rip cross- ice saucer passes that most forwards don’t see, which he pulled off on the power play in this game. Maybe that’s the tradeoff you get with a pass-first forward like Kerfoot, although I’d still like to see him be a bit more selfish sometimes in prime scoring locations.

The Muzzin-Barrie Pairing — This was a bizarro game for both players. Jake Muzzin got caught for multiple two-on-ones and Barrie had to cover for him, where he actually did a great job at taking away the passing lane both times. When it comes to the other aspects of the game, Muzzin was much more consistent than Barrie, who still looks tentative to make a dynamic play in the offensive zone. Add it all up, and you get an underwhelming performance from both defencemen in my opinion — Muzzin can’t be getting caught out of position like that with his foot speed.

⭐

The Fourth Line — The trio of Dmytro Timashov, Nick Shore, and Frederik Gauthier has been given more defensive zone starts than anyone in the NHL this season, which has made them pretty boring to watch. The objective of their shifts is to not give up a goal, which they accomplished in this game. Unfortunately, Timashov is the only forward who’s looked remotely dangerous in transition lately. It’s resulted in a lot of shifts that end with a dump and change, which I’m not a huge fan of.

Incomplete: Mitch Marner (RW, #16) — He had a pretty quiet first period, but we all know what the storyline in this game is.

I’m the opposite of a medical expert, but after reaching out to a few smarter people in that field, the consensus I’ve been getting is that this is probably a high ankle sprain based on the way his leg twisted. It typically takes an NHL player 46 to 48 days to recover from that injury, which would be about 20 games.

From watching a lot of NBA, I can tell you that the timetable for this kind of injury tends to be longer than you think, since the player isn’t coming back at 100 percent. Think of Timothy Liljegren after he suffered a high- ankle sprain; it took him months before his skating stride picked up again. This isn’t meant to cause panic in Leafs nation — I’m sure Marner will eventually return to form with plenty of time to spare before the playoffs — but this could be a huge blow to Toronto.

Heat Map

Here’s a quick look at where each team’s shots were coming from, courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.

Game Score

Game Score is a metric developed by The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn to quickly measure a player’s performance in a single game.

It’s not perfect, but it can help give us a decent idea of how well players performed in a particular game based on their numbers (although I’d always recommend combining stats with video, since single-game numbers can be wonky).

One Last Thought

The Leafs have found a way to rack up seven points in their last four games, but there are some concerning trends beneath the surface. 1160814 Toronto Maple Leafs everything you want in a defenceman, but his biggest flaw has always been his tendency to rip low-percentage clappers from the point instead of working to create a better shot. It helps explain why his Corsi numbers have always looked better than his other metrics — he’s never been a Why the Maple Leafs offence has gone stagnant this season, and what great “shot quality” guy offensively. Even Justin Holl has been a machine needs to change now gun from the point this season.

Just look at how much of Toronto’s shot volume has come from the back- end. By Ian Tulloch The fact that four defencemen are in the top 10 here is a big-time Nov 9, 2019 concern since most of those are low-percentage shots. For context, the average NHL forward is shooting 9.6 percent at 5-on-5 this season, whereas the average defenceman is only scoring on 4.1 percent of their How can a team so talented be so boring to watch? shots on goal. It’s great to have defencemen jump up in the play and generate quality scoring chances off the rush, but that’s not what’s It’s a question Toronto Maple Leafs fans have been asking themselves a happening here. The Leafs have been relying on point shots for most of lot lately. The wins have been piling up with Frederik Andersen returning their offence in 2019-20, and that’s just not a smart thing to do in the to form, which he tends to do when the calendar flips to November, but modern game — especially considering the talent Toronto has up front. the process at the team level still hasn’t been ideal. The Leafs have struggled to generate quality chances in recent games, which is The evidence suggests that Dave Hakstol and some shot-happy concerning given the talent on their roster. personnel has a lot to do with it, but I’m convinced there’s a bit more at play here. What’s even more worrisome is that this isn’t just a recent trend. Take a look at the Maple Leafs heat map 16 games into 2019-20 (which we can Playing not to lose trust now that the NHL’s shot location data has officially been fixed). If you’ve been following the Leafs closely this season, you’ve probably Now let’s compare it to last season’s map, when Toronto was generating noticed that they use their fourth line for defensive zone starts — a lot. In scoring chances at an elite rate. fact, Nick Shore, Dmytro Timashov and Frederik Gauthier actually have the most extreme defensive usage among all forwards in the NHL. Clearly something is going on here. And it isn’t particularly close. The coaching staff has made a concerted effort to tighten things up defensively this year, which you could argue has been somewhat This seems odd to say the least. But don’t get me wrong: I love the idea successful — the Leafs are giving up fewer chances at 5-on-5. The of a faceoff specialist winning defensive zone draws on their strong side, problem is that the pros haven’t outweighed the cons; While Toronto has which Shore (65.6 percent) and Gauthier (64.3 percent) have done a been giving up fewer chances, it is also generating significantly less phenomenal job of this season. My concern is what happens after the offence in 2019-20, to the extent that the improved defensive impact isn’t faceoff. worth the tradeoff. When you account for shot quality using a metric like expected goals, Toronto has actually been getting outplayed at even It’s obvious that those two have been forced into ton of “FOGO” shifts strength this season. (faceoff, get off), something Tyler Dellow used to write about all the time. This is a creative strategy coaches use to get their faceoff specialist on Expected goals are essentially weighted shot locations, for example: the ice for a key draw, only to pull them off the ice after the puck is cleared. Considering how well Shore and Gauthier have done in the 3% shot from the point = 0.03 expected goals faceoff circle, it would be natural to confirm that it’s been working for 20% shot from the slot = 0.20 expected goals Toronto this season. But when you think about how it works within the flow of play, utilizing the strategy too often can become a double-edged Why is this happening? And what can the Leafs do to address it? sword.

As always, we’re going to break that answer down into a few parts to For example, let’s say Shore wins a defensive zone draw and the fourth help dissect things properly. Let’s start with the most glaring issue. line starts to advance the puck up the ice. Changing lines at that point is Shots from the point going to really hurt your chances of creating any meaningful offence on the counter-attack since it’s difficult to generate a quality chance off the All you need to do is take one quick look at Toronto’s heat map this rush when one of your linemates is well behind the play. I can season to see that their offence has become overly reliant on shots from understand it in certain situations, but relying on your fourth line to the blue line. Those are the most inefficient shots you can take, essentially take all of your team’s defensive zone starts doesn’t seem like especially closer to the boards where we’re talking about a two or three an ideal strategy. percent chance of beating a goaltender. Now, there’s always the argument that point shots can lead to more deflections and rebounds, but Now, when you adjust for the context of those shifts using a metric like it’s clear from the data that Toronto hasn’t been generating many of EvolvingWild’s RAPM, the shot differentials actually don’t turn out too those opportunities from in tight, especially compared to previous bad at the individual level. Gauthier comes out slightly negative, but seasons. Shore and Timashov actually break even when you take their usage into account. So, why then the emphasis on point shots this season? Flyers fans have floated out the theory that this is The Dave Hakstol Effect. His teams in What’s concerning is the quality of those shots, which are almost always Philadelphia were notorious for taking low-percentage shots from coming from the outside, where their impact on expected goals is distance. Since his departure, the Flyers have been generating embarrassingly low, even after adjusting for context. That makes sense significantly more offence from the slot, relying less on point shots this when you consider most dangerous chances, and goals, are created off season under new head coach Alain Vigneault. the rush. But the Leafs rarely have numbers skating up the ice when their fourth line is racing to get to the bench every time they get out of the I don’t hate the Hakstol theory. He has a long track record of encouraging defensive zone. his defencemen to take point shots, which is a problem on a roster built around three $11 million forwards. Now, Hakstol doesn’t have the final In theory, this is a strategy that’s supposed to free up your skilled players say on how systems are implemented in Toronto — that ultimately rests in the top nine to generate offence. In practice, I’m concerned that it’s with Mike Babcock — but there’s enough evidence to suggest that actually doing the opposite. The Leafs haven’t been able to generate Hakstol’s influence on the Leafs’ is impacting their ability to generate anything when their fourth line is on the ice; their skilled players haven’t quality shots, and not in a good way. exactly been crushing the minutes they do play; and most importantly, this strategy revolves around trusting your three worst forwards in an Another argument you could make is that the problem comes down to a increased role. personnel issue. After all, the Leafs do have a bunch of shot-happy blue- liners. Morgan Rielly has always taken a high volume of shots at 5-on-5, I understand the philosophy behind it, but at some point, you need to play as has Tyson Barrie, who’s actually been taking more shots from the blue your best players. All you’re doing by starting a shift with Gauthier is line this season and fewer from more dangerous areas. Jake Muzzin is ensuring that your team isn’t going to generate any offence at the other end. They probably won’t give up anything either, but it feels like an overemphasis on goal prevention rather than goal creation. It’s a similar philosophy that results in coaches putting more trust in “safe” players like Cody Ceci who “keep it simple” rather than a more aggressive player like Travis Dermott who consistently tilts the ice in his team’s favour.

If the Leafs are going to get the most out of their roster, they need to not be afraid to make creative plays up the ice to their talented forwards. It’s something we can see a player like Barrie is terrified to do at this point, and that’s a big problem.

Playing Devil’s Advocate

Now that I’ve tackled one side of the argument, let’s look at the other side of the debate. The Leafs have been a tire-fire defensively ever since Auston Matthews’ rookie year and they haven’t improved in that regard four years later. Watching a player like Rielly continue to consistently struggle with his gap control must be infuriating for the coaching staff. But what can be done to get them to tighten things up defensively?

You could punish poor defensive efforts by moving certain players down in the lineup, something Babcock has done with William Nylander once in a while to give him a kick in the ass, but maybe that kind of tough love isn’t going to motivate a personality like Matthews or Mitch Marner. You could use the carrot instead of the stick, rewarding your stars with more power-play time when they put in the effort without the puck at 5-on-5, which may or may not be happening. The top unit did stay out for nearly the full two minutes against Vegas on Thursday night after Matthews kicked things into full gear in the third period.

Another thing you could do is force them to play boring hockey for a month or two. We all know the team is talented enough to rack up points in the standings, so why not send a message by playing Minnesota Wild- style hockey? This is something Babcock literally did in 2017-18 from November until January 23rd, when the roster was essentially overhauled overnight.

Now, was that pushback from management? Was it the plan all along, or an example of a coaching staff shaking things up and never looking back? We’ll never know for sure, but it’s clear that tightening things up to an exaggerated degree, for the purpose of encouraging strong defensive play in the long run, is something we’ve seen Babcock do before. I wouldn’t be shocked if that was happening again right now.

The biggest concern for me isn’t the fact that there’s zero logic behind the Leafs’s style at the moment; I completely understand the desire to force Toronto’s young stars into putting in more effort without the puck. My issue is that it’s coming at the expense of the qualities that separate the Leafs from other teams, which is missing the forest for the sake of a few trees.

You can tighten things up defensively and still lean into your strengths. Carolina is a perfect example. They want to play with pace, counter- attack after every turnover, run an aggressive “five-man forecheck” — similar to how Toronto played in their playoff series against Washington in 2017 — so that they’re constantly applying pressure. The Hurricanes still play tight hockey in all three zones, but they do so with an emphasis on speed and puck possession.

Instead, what we’re seeing is a conservative style of hockey that goes against everything the Leafs’ roster was designed for. They aren’t activating their defence enough on the breakout; they’re trapping more often instead of aggressively forechecking with their speed; the fourth line is playing way too many important shifts. Combine all of those factors, and you get the low-event brand of hockey we’ve been watching recently.

That needs to change.

You could make the argument that a philosophical shift behind the bench is required to make that happen, or that internal growth from Toronto’s young core will eventually put this team over the top. Either way, the Leafs need to find a way to play to their strengths if they’re going to compete for a Stanley Cup this season.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160815 Vegas Golden Knights 3. Moving parts Gallant made two changes to his lineup, opting for Engelland’s

experience on the blue line over rookie Nic Hague against the league’s Golden Knights drop 2nd straight, fall to Capitals 5-2 most potent offense.

To accommodate Engelland, who was scratched the past two games, partner Shea Theodore moved away from his preferred right side to play David Schoen left defense.

November 9, 2019 - 6:49 PM Also, Tomas Nosek returned to left wing on the third line as Brandon Pirri was a healthy scratch. Nosek was unable to provide a spark and that line

continued to struggle without injured right wing Alex Tuch. WASHINGTON — In the past 10 days, the Golden Knights saw firsthand The trio of Nosek, center Cody Eakin and right wing Cody Glass multiple examples of a team scratching and clawing to pull two points out combined for three penalties and two shots on goal. of nothing. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 11.10.2019 When it was their turn to dig deep and try to steal a game Saturday, the Knights imploded.

Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom scored twice in the third period, and the Golden Knights couldn’t overcome their penalty troubles in a 5-2 loss at .

“I don’t think we played as good as we have in the past lately, and we just didn’t look ready to beat a good team,” coach said. “We had to play a lot better than that.”

The Knights lost for the second straight game on the road trip, which concludes Sunday at Detroit, and saw their five-game points streak come to a screeching halt.

After digging an early 2-0 hole in the first period, the Knights fell behind 3-1 at 15:32 of the second period when Washington defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler scored his first NHL goal.

Reilly Smith scored his team-high 10th goal on a power play with 2:33 remaining in the second, and the Knights opened the third period with a full two minutes on the man advantage but couldn’t convert.

Washington then took over, as Backstrom’s shot sneaked through Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (29 saves) on a power play with 8:30 remaining in the third for a 4-2 lead. Backstrom added an empty-net goal in the final minute.

“It’s frustrating to not be consistent and climbing in the standings and be on top there,” Fleury said. “I feel like I wasn’t good. I didn’t make any saves or I didn’t change the game in a good way for us.”

Here’s what stood out from the Knights’ loss:

1. Stuck in the mud

The Knights didn’t hold a morning skate on Saturday, which is unusual for an evening game. That might be part of the reason for the slow start against Washington.

Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov got behind defenseman Jon Merrill in the opening minute and beat Fleury on a breakaway.

Washington then capitalized on a poor turnover by Jonathan Marchessault in the Knights’ zone, which led to Tom Wilson’s one-timer from the slot at 5:53 of the first period.

“We seem to either not be ready for a game at the start or not be ready for the finish of a game,” right wing Ryan Reaves said. “It’s just an inconsistent 60 minutes coming from our team over the last couple weeks that has to change.”

2. Penalty parade

After being whistled for six penalties in the overtime loss to Toronto on Thursday, the Knights committed seven minor penalties against Washington.

The Capitals had three power plays in the third period and finished 1-for- 6 overall with the man advantage.

Frustration eventually set in for the Knights, as Deryk Engelland picked up a retaliation penalty for slashing T.J. Oshie in the final six minutes. Assistant coach Ryan McGill also was ejected late, according to the Capitals’ broadcast.

“I think penalties are hurting us right now,” Smith said. “We’re taking too many penalties and it’s being the difference in the game because we’re losing by one or two goals.” 1160816 Vegas Golden Knights

Malcolm Subban to take on heavier workload for Golden Knights

David Schoen

November 9, 2019 - 5:17 PM

WASHINGTON — The injury to Malcolm Subban in the second week of the season derailed the Golden Knights’ plan to increase the goaltender’s workload.

Now that he’s back, Subban will see plenty of action, according to coach Gerard Gallant.

The Knights play the second game of a back-to-back Sunday in Detroit to wrap up the four-game road trip, and Subban is expected to get the nod after Marc-Andre Fleury started against Washington.

“Fleury plays a lot of games and a lot of big games for us, but this kid is going to have to take some of those games,” Gallant said. “You can’t play a guy 70, 80 games a year, and we have all the confidence in the world in Malcolm. We think we’ve got the best goalie in the league in Fleury, and then Malcolm’s going to get some more games than he’s got in the past. If he keeps playing like this, it’s going to be a perfect setup for us.”

Last month, Gallant defended Fleury’s workload — he’s appeared in 15 of the Knights’ 18 games — by telling reporters he can play “110 games this year as long as he doesn’t practice.”

But the Knights clearly have no intentions of wearing out their starter.

Subban finished with 35 saves Thursday to help the Knights earn a point in a 2-1 overtime loss to Toronto. And he played well in his first start back Nov. 2 against Winnipeg despite losing 4-3 in overtime.

In three appearances, Subban has a 3.29 goals-against average and .9111 save percentage, numbers that are skewed by his injury-shortened start at Arizona on Oct. 10.

“Obviously you want to get your teammates and coaches to trust you that you can play these type of games,” Subban said. “I just try and play. There’s no excuses, whether you’re playing every game or playing not that (many) games. You’ve just got to go in there and try and give your best game and give your team a chance to win.”

The Knights return home after the game against the Red Wings and host Chicago on Wednesday. Then they begin a stretch of 11 games in 20 days, and Subban figures to be busy spelling Fleury.

“If you’re going to go anywhere in the NHL, you need two good goaltenders, and we believe we do,” Gallant said. “We’ve got a great problem to have with Subban being a backup and Marc-Andre Fleury playing the way he’s played the last three years for us.”

On the big screen

The Knights will host a watch party at 2 p.m. Sunday at Topgolf Las Vegas for the game against the Red Wings.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160817 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights Ryan Reaves, Alex Tuch dish on art of tipping shots

Ben Gotz

November 9, 2019 - 2:41 PM

It’s one of the hardest things to do in hockey.

Stare at a puck 1 inch thick and 3 inches in diameter as it barrels forward at speeds that can surpass 100 mph. Get a stick in the way of that puck. And get that puck to change direction enough that it moves away from an opposing goaltender and into the net.

Tipping shots is an art form and is both difficult and dangerous. But Golden Knights right wings Alex Tuch and Ryan Reaves — who both view it as a necessary part of their jobs — have methods to the madness of skating in front of their crease, waiting for a teammate to shoot and trying to redirect the puck.

“(You) just pray it doesn’t hit you in the face,” Reaves said. “That’s where I score the majority of my goals is in front. You can’t be afraid to go there. You just have to trust your D-men.”

The key, Tuch said, is don’t treat the stick like a bat. Don’t use it to swat at the puck. Just put the stick where the puck is going and let it do the work.

“Keep the stick in front of you so you’re not turning your entire body,” Tuch said. “All you’re doing is moving the stick to the side the puck is going on and trying to redirect it in the opposite direction. You know if the goalie is sliding to your right, you want to tip it back to the left to find an opening.”

Reaves said sending the puck in the opposite direction is usually enough to score a goal, so he doesn’t worry about picking a corner or anything like that. If the shot is high, he tries to tip it low, and vice versa. As long as he gets his stick on it and keeps it on net it’s a tough save for a goaltender.

Even if the goalie does react quick, usually there’s a rebound. Tuch said that’s key because the tip is just one part of the play. It’s about getting in front of the goaltender to block his eyes, trying to tip a shot past him and then turning around to see if there’s a rebound. All so a shot farther away from the net can turn into a goal.

”It’s the ability to keep the puck alive and bury some rebounds,” Tuch said. “You try to be as fearless as possible when you’ve got a one-timer coming at you.”

Going streaking

Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Bryan Rust’s game-winning goal in overtime Friday put an end to a remarkable streak for the New York Islanders.

Before that overtime loss, the Islanders had won 10 straight games since starting 1-3. That helped them rocket up to second in the Metropolitan Division standings. The overtime loss still gives them an 11-game point streak.

Coach Barry Trotz already has a case to repeat as the Jack Adams Award (best coach) winner.

Bunched-up Pacific

The Pacific Division may not be the best in the NHL, but it might be the most competitive.

The Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes and Anaheim Ducks have all looked improved so far this season. They’ve turned a division that had no wild card teams last year into one that looks like it might get two.

Only five points separate the first-place Oilers (24) from sixth-place Anaheim (19).

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160818 Vegas Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 11.10.2019

GAME DAY: Golden Knights face league-leading Capitals

November 9, 2019 - 8:45 am

Staff Writer

WASHINGTON — The Golden Knights look to extend their points streak to six straight games when they face the league-leading Washington Capitals on Saturday at Capital One Arena.

Opening faceoff is 4 p.m. Pacific time, and the game will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet Rocky Mountain.

“We’re playing against probably the best team in the league right now,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “It’s only the (17)-game mark, but they’ve found their game and they’re playing great. We’ve got to get up to that level. … It’s going to be a good test.”

The Knights (9-5-3, 21 points) are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss at Toronto on Thursday and have three of a possible four points on their current four-game road trip.

This is the first game of a back-to-back, with the trip concluding Sunday at Detroit.

The Knights did not hold a morning skate Saturday and no official lineup information will be available until two hours before opening faceoff.

Based on Friday’s practice, the Knights are expected to use a similar lineup to Thursday, when Nicolas Roy centered the fourth line and Brandon Pirri drew in as the third-line left wing.

The Knights are 3-1 all time against Washington during the regular season, but lost the Stanley Cup Final in five games against the Capitals in 2018.

The Capitals (12-2-3, 27 points) sit atop the NHL standings and are riding a five-game win streak after defeating Florida 5-4 in overtime Thursday. They have points in 10 consecutive games (9-0-1).

Washington ranks No. 1 in the league with 68 goals scored and is tied with Nashville for first in goals per game (4.0).

John Carlson tops all NHL defensemen with 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists), and the early Norris Trophy favorite is fifth overall in scoring.

Alex Ovechkin is second on the Capitals with 22 points, including a team- best 13 goals.

Braden Holtby (7-1-3, 3.36 goals-against average, .895 save percentage) is expected to start in net for Washington.

Carl Hagelin did not participate in Washington’s morning skate and is day to day with an upper-body injury, according to the team.

Chandler Stephenson will move up to the third line and Nic Dowd slots in as the fourth-line center after missing the past three games with a lower- body injury.

Golden Knights projected lineup

Forwards

Jonathan Marchessault-William Karlsson-Reilly Smith

Max Pacioretty-Paul Stastny-Mark Stone

Brandon Pirri-Cody Eakin-Cody Glass

William Carrier-Nicolas Roy-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Brayden McNabb-Nate Schmidt

Jon Merrill-Nick Holden

Nic Hague-Shea Theodore

Goaltender

Marc-Andre Fleury 1160819 Vegas Golden Knights picking his spots, and taking himself out of future games out of frustration wouldn’t be smart.

Ryan Reaves has been suspended only once. (Tom Szczerbowski / USA Golden Knights will break out of current slump with smart hockey, not by Today) seeking retribution After Saturday night’s defeat, the Golden Knights have lost four of their last five and six of their last nine.

Jesse Granger After the game, wooden locker doors slammed shut, equipment bags were dejectedly tossed into a pile to be loaded onto the team bus, and Nov 9, 2019 the word “frustrated” floated throughout the Golden Knights’ dressing room.

“We have to get ready for tomorrow,” Gallant said of Vegas’ game with WASHINGTON — The Capitals beat up the Golden Knights on Saturday Detroit on Sunday. “You have to get on the plane, be a little pissed off night at Capital One Arena. tonight and get ready for tomorrow. That’s the NHL.” They beat them on the scoreboard 5-2 and beat them up physically in the The players certainly have the first two parts down. third period, landing crushing hit after crushing hit in the corners. Washington forward T.J. Oshie was a human wrecking ball, throwing his “I think they just played with more pace than we did tonight, and that’s weight around in the offensive zone. frustrating because those are the things we can control,” Reilly Smith said. He landed a check on Deryk Engelland that caused Engelland to retaliate after the play. He was called for slashing — Vegas’ seventh penalty of Even with the recent slump, Vegas is still 9-6-3 on the season. That’s not the contest. On his next shift, Oshie drilled Nate Schmidt, leaving terrible, but for a team with the talent and expectations the Golden Schmidt hobbling away after he picked himself up off the ice. Knights carry, it’s not good enough. It doesn’t help that they’ve lost nearly every game against the best teams in the league (Boston, Nashville, Tom Wilson went to the penalty box for roughing midway through the Colorado, Toronto and Washington). third. After a whistle, he grabbed Cody Eakin’s face, pushed his helmet off and continued facewashing the 6-foot, 183-pound forward. Eakin has “Consistency is a hard thing to find in hockey,” Jonathan Marchessault dropped the gloves only three times in his NHL career, and never as a said. “We’re not playing with the swag that we should have and the Golden Knight. Even if he was a fighter, taking on Wilson wouldn’t be a confidence that we should have. There are glimpses of it, but I think we smart move. just need to play more simple. When we play our strong forecheck game, I think we are one of the best teams.” So where was Ryan Reaves? That was the question on most fans’ minds midway through the third period. The Golden Knights will get out of their current funk by playing fast, skilled hockey, not by seeking retribution. They’re currently tied for The Golden Knights aren’t paying Reaves $2.775 million for his scoring second in the NHL in penalties taken, and aside from the obvious touch. When George McPhee inked his two-year deal in the summer of problem that poses (giving teams ample chances to score with a man 2018, he said the signing was to “keep the flies off the honey.” advantage), it also breaks up the flow of play. Vegas is one of the most physical teams in the NHL and is rarely at a “Obviously, it kills our momentum a little bit, especially when we’re disadvantage when it comes to hitting and post-whistle antics. So why starting to get some mojo,” Marchessault said. wasn’t the 225-pound fly swatter deployed? The good news for the Golden Knights is most of these issues appear to “It’s kind of one of those weird situations because you see the game be correctable. They have enough talent to win and have been one of the getting amped up, but we’re still in the game, so you have to pick and least penalized teams in the NHL over the last two seasons. Gallant is a choose your battles,” Reaves said. “We were still in the game there, and Jack Adams-winning coach who has yet to miss the playoffs in Vegas. we need to win hockey games right now. We’re finding ways to hurt ourselves, and we just need to find ways to win games.” Even in defeat Saturday night, he showed his coaching ability by putting the right players on the ice in the right situations. It just didn’t work out. It At the time, Vegas was trailing 3-2, and with its current penalty woes, hasn’t worked out much recently for the Golden Knights, but they’re still going to the box for retribution wasn’t worth it. only three points out of first place in the Pacific Division. “(Our response was) not good enough,” coach Gerard Gallant said. “But Vegas can work its way out of this slump by playing quick, skilled hockey we were behind, chasing the game, so we sat in the penalty box for little and scoring goals, not fighting. knicky-knack penalties, hooking or whatever they were, and we just kept chasing the game. I would’ve liked a better response, but we’re chasing The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 the hockey game still.”

Reaves took only three shifts in the third period and only one after the midway point — when the game got chippy.

That’s because Gallant wasn’t trying to gain revenge or prove his team is the toughest. He was trying to score the game-tying goal, to win a hockey game. Instead, he played Mark Stone 6:33, William Karlsson 8:14 and Reilly Smith 6:40.

It’s easy to be frustrated watching Wilson facewash Eakin and wanting Reaves to settle the score. But cooler heads prevailed, and while it didn’t result in a win, Gallant coached the game correctly.

“Sticking up for your teammates is important, and answering the bell is important, but we got to win a game,” Reaves said. “I got out there on the third-to-last shift and got some hits in. It’s pointless to go jump somebody in the last 10 minutes. You do that and you get suspended for that, so I went out there and got my hits and tried to chip in somehow.”

Reaves is right. The Golden Knights need to win games, and the fourth line has been a big part of it when they do. The fourth line of Reaves, William Carrier and either Tomas Nosek or Nicolas Roy has been on the plus side of things often this season, often outplaying Vegas’ third line. Despite leading the NHL in hits last season, and for what seems like the past decade, Reaves has been suspended only once. He’s good at 1160820 Washington Capitals Vegas got another power-play opportunity at the start of the third period, after T.J. Oshie was called for roughing at the end of the second. This time, the Capitals’ penalty kill held strong, and it did so again six minutes into the period as Vegas finished 1 for 4 with the man advantage. The Capitals stretch winning streak to six with 5-2 victory over Golden Knights Capitals were without one of their top killers: Carl Hagelin sat out with an upper body injury and is day-to-day.

Aside from Oshie’s roughing call — after Backstrom and Brayden Samantha Pell McNabb traded cross-checks, Oshie skated in and pulled McNabb to the November 9, 2019 at 11:10 PM EST ice — and a few relatively tame back-and-forths near the net, Saturday’s game wasn’t as chippy as expected. There were concerns that the matchup could dredge up old memories for Wilson and Vegas’s Ryan Reaves, after Reaves put a blind-side hit on Wilson during a regular Washington Capitals Coach could talk for hours about Tom season matchup last December. Wilson hit his head on the ice and Wilson. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound winger’s physicality in creating offense, suffered a concussion on the play; Reaves received a five-minute major willingness to sacrifice his body on the penalty kill and growing penalty for interference and was ejected. leadership in the dressing room are commanding attention on the ice and off. But the bad blood has seemingly settled, with Reaves and Wilson expressing no ill will toward each other ahead of Saturday’s matchup. Wilson — as well as second-line teammates Evgeny Kuznetsov and Wilson, as a top-six player, knows how important he is to the Capitals’ Jakub Vrana — were rewarded for his strong play Saturday night during system, and while he continues to play physical, he now better the Capitals’ 5-2 win against the Vegas Golden Knights at Capital One understands how to control that. Arena. The linemates had five points (two goals, three assists) and have combined for 10 goals and 12 assists in the team’s past four games. “There are two sides to everything,” he said. “I have to understand what [Reaves] wants, and I have to worry about my own game and what is That output helped the Capitals (13-2-3) stretch their winning streak to best to help our team win.” six games Saturday, and they improved to 10-0-1 in their past 11. Washington’s most recent regulation loss came Oct. 14 against Washington Post LOADED: 11.10.2019 Colorado.

“Big winning streaks are huge for playoff teams because it’s not always going to be perfect,” defenseman John Carlson said. “It’s not always going to be an easy road, and when you do hit rough patches, it’s nice to have something buoy you like this win streak. So we’re happy, but it’s early and we’ve got a long way to go.”

Wilson’s eighth goal of the season came on a wrist shot 5:53 into the first period. It gave him eight points (four goals and four assists) in four games, and it lifted Washington to a two-goal edge that Vegas could never overcome.

“It’s not a surprise for me,” Kuznetsov said of Wilson. “The way he’s worked, the way he’s playing, if you’re always going to keep doing the same things like he’s doing, you’re going to get success for sure.”

Capitals’ penalty kill is excelling as it plays with controlled aggression

Kuznetsov had the Capitals’ first goal Saturday on a breakaway 58 seconds into the game. It was his sixth goal of the season, and he followed the tally with his signature bird celebration for the first time this season. It was the second time in as many games that the Capitals scored in the opening minute. Vrana assisted on Wilson and Kuznetsov’s goals Saturday, and he has 16 points (nine goals, seven assists) through 18 games.

In the Capitals’ 5-4 win at the Florida Panthers on Thursday, Wilson scored twice, including the game-winner 17 seconds into overtime.

“We’re clicking pretty good,” Wilson said of his line. “Sometimes they go in and sometimes they don’t, and when you are playing well, you want to do everything you can to keep it the same and keep pushing forward. It’s fun playing on that line.”

Vegas entered the final 20 minutes trailing 3-2 and continued to battle back but ultimately couldn’t catch up. Nicklas Backstrom scored the final two goals, an insurance tally on the power play with 8:30 left and an empty-netter with 45.5 seconds to go. Both were assisted by Carlson, who has 431 career points and passed for the second most by a Capitals defenseman. Carlson leads the NHL with 20 assists.

Kuznetsov’s and Wilson’s goals put Washington in control early, but Vegas cut its deficit in half with Max Pacioretty’s goal at 8:57 of the first. The teams traded tallies in the second period, with the Capitals’ Jonas Siegenthaler scoring his first career goal at 15:32. The goal came on the first anniversary of his NHL debut.

“It was like a relief,” he said. “I was just screaming it out. Yeah, felt pretty good.”

Vegas took advantage of a power play with 2:33 left in the period when Reilly Smith sneaked one past goaltender Braden Holtby to cut Washington’s lead to 3-2. 1160821 Washington Capitals

Capitals forward Carl Hagelin day-to-day with upper-body injury

Samantha Pell

November 9, 2019 at 11:59 AM EST

Washington Capitals forward Carl Hagelin will miss Saturday night’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights because of an “upper body” injury that is considered day-to-day.

“[It was] an injury we found out about yesterday, so we will go from there,” said Capitals Coach Todd Reirden, who didn’t offer any further details. Hagelin was not a participant at the team’s optional skate on Friday but did not appear to miss any shifts during Thursday’s 5-4 overtime win against the Florida Panthers at the BB&T Center. Hagelin, who the team acquired at last season’s trade deadline, has been a driving force of the Capitals’ penalty kill success this season. The unit has launched itself to eighth in the league at 85.7 percent.

Taking Hagelin’s place as the third-line left wing is Chandler Stephenson. Stephenson, who has been in and out of the lineup to start the season, has played in 13 games this season, recording two goals and one assist while averaging 11:05 of ice time.

“Just don’t think too much,” Stephenson said. “Just go out and play the game and don’t look into it and obviously you want to stay in the lineup every night, but you think ‘I need to stay in the lineup every night,’ and you just go out and do what you do and do your thing.”

The 25-year-old forward recently saw time on the fourth line after center Nic Dowd suffered a lower body injury on Oct. 29 in Toronto. Dowd missed three games due to injury, but is now healthy and will be back the lineup against Vegas as the team’s fourth-line center.

Flanking Dowd with Stephenson getting the temporary bump to the third line will be Brendan Leipsic and Travis Boyd. Stephenson will skate alongside Lars Eller and Garnet Hathaway.

“It’s obviously just nice to have that confidence in the coaching staff and I think it’s going to be fun playing with Hath and Lars,” Stephenson said. “They just work so hopefully we will get a lot of pucks and a lot of chances so hopefully we have chemistry early.”

In other injury news, the Capitals are still with forward Richard Panik (upper body) who remains on long-term injured reserve. Panik played in eight games before he was injured and did not record a goal nor an assist. He was originally skating on the third line, before a shuffle dropped him to the fourth line.

Panik is not eligible to come back until Monday’s game against Arizona. Washington will have to make some tough roster decisions at that point, with Panik and his $2.75 million salary going back on the books. The most likely scenario is that the Capitals will have to send a forward down to the team’s American Hockey League affiliate in Hershey Pa.

Washington Post LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160822 Washington Capitals Siegenthaler scoring the game-winner to go along with John Carlson’s two assists and Dmitry Orlov’s one.

Turning point Siegenthaler's first goal, the second line is so hot right now and the non In the moment I thought the answer would be Siegenthaler’s goal. In a 2- Wilson-Reaves rematch 1 game in which neither team could gain control, Siegenthaler’s goal seemed like the moment that would break open the game for Washington. Then Garnet Hathaway took a penalty, Vegas scored on the J.J. Regan power play and it was a one-goal game again. You knew the game was over though in the third period when Backstrom squeezed one past November 09, 2019 11:21 PM Marc-Andre Fleury.

that no-look pass by @JohnCarlson74  pic.twitter.com/rg652P4X6Y Raise your hand if you had Jonas Siegenthaler scoring the game-winner on Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights. Anyone? Believe it or — NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) November 10, 2019 not, the rookie defenseman's first goal of his NHL career was, in fact, the Play of the night game-winner in the Caps' 5-2 victory over Vegas. Not only did Siegenthaler score his first goal of his NHL career, but he Check out the game recap here. did it on the one-year anniversary of his NHL debut. That deserves a tip Observations from the win of the cap.

No fisticuffs for Wilson and Reaves .@josieg97 scores his FIRST NHL GOAL one year after making his NHL debut 朗 pic.twitter.com/5aWNN0rLYh This was a feisty game with a lot of pushing and shoving after the whistle. T.J. Oshie got so fed up at one point, he just took down Brayden — NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) November 10, 2019 McNabb. Pretty much everyone was involved...except for Tom Wilson Stat of the night and Ryan Reaves. When you pass a legendary player like Scott Stevens, you know you’re Wilson and Reaves said all the right things before the game, diffusing doing something right. any potential fireworks we could possibly see stemming from last year’s late hit that Reaves delivered to Wilson. Even if they wanted to, it would With an assist tonight, John Carlson passed Scott Stevens (429) for the have been hard for them to go after one another considering they were second most points by a defensemen in franchise history. never on the ice at the same time. Wilson and Reaves were both on the ice together for a grand total of 1:46. There was no player on Vegas that — CapitalsPR (@CapitalsPR) November 10, 2019 Wilson played less against than Reaves. Quote of the night

Even if they had wanted to go after each other, they really did not have Siegenthaler sounding real casual about his first goal: the opportunity to do it. That worked out just fine for the Caps who would have lost that trade-off between Wilson and Reaves if they both ended “I kind of saw the free ice in the middle and I saw [Travis Boyd] turning up in the box for fighting. up. I was like yeah let’s jump in there and he saw me.”

The second line is red-hot Fan predictions

In the last four games, Wilson has four goals and four assists, Jakub Wilson and Reaves DON’T fight. I’d say that’s bold based on their Vrana has five goals and two assists and Evgeny Kuznetsov has one history. Wilson playing too well to let Reaves take him off the ice. goal and six assists. That line is really clicking right now. — Ben DeSantis (@desantbt) November 9, 2019 “They're definitely getting some chemistry,” Todd Reirden said. “I think they're really reading off one another, I think they're playing a complete The only fight these two had was to see who could downplay their rivalry game. Not all of it's coming off of offensive zone and rush plays, some of more. it’s coming off of faceoffs, some of it's coming off of playing in D zone first Captain bites Reeves and getting rush opportunities. They have obviously a lot of speed on that line on both wings and obviously Kuzy is an elite skater so they've been — Frothy (@FrothyOmen) November 9, 2019 able to create a lot of opportunities.” Reaves was about the only player with no bite for Vegas on Saturday. Braden Holtby has rebounded Vegas scores 3 pp goals as caps miss hags on pk On Oct. 14, Holtby was pulled in a game against the Colorado Avalanche after giving up three goals on the first three shots he faced. Since then, — theonlypuckster (@theonlypuckster) November 9, 2019 Holtby has gone 7-0-1 with a .920 save percentage. Carl Hagelin is a huge part of the power play, but the Caps managed to Offensive output allow only one goal on four opportunities and a lot of those came at critical moments. The Caps have played 18 games this season and have scored four goals or more in 12 of those games. The Caps consciously gave up goal Caps keep their streak of 2 goal scorers with Orlov and win another OT scorers to focus on defense in the offseason and yet the offense is game currently leading the NHL with 4.06 goals per game. — Rfreese (@Rtfreese) November 9, 2019

“I was pretty confident we were going to score goals this year,” Reirden You got the two-goal scorers right thanks to an empty-netter for said. “We made some decisions personnel-wise as an organization that Backstrom. That feels like the fan prediction equivalent to a backdoor we let a few goals leave our organization and the idea of trying to cover. become a more well rounded, more difficult team to play against, better penalty killing, better two-way play. If you install the right system within I'm just gonna keep predicting an Ovi hatrick, and when it inevitably that and you have the buy-in from players about what you're trying to happens (it will, he's the greatest goal scorer in NHL history), I'm gonna accomplish as a team then you're going to have success with the skill brag about it like nobody's business. level that we have. It's good to see obviously Nick [Backstrom] get a — Blake A (@gocaps387) November 9, 2019 couple today, but you're starting to get contributions from defenseman and the second line has been really hot lately.” OK, I guess you’ll have to keep predicting it. Someone had the same strategy about a Radko Gudas goal, but they eventually gave up. That last part there is key. How does the offense keep clicking with a top- heavy top six and virtually no offense from the third line? It’s the defense. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 The contributions from the defense have been absolutely key to the offense clicking and we saw that again on Saturday with Jonas 1160823 Washington Capitals Someone said “Smile this time,” and Siegenthaler forced one for the camera. It’s an image he’ll keep forever. November 9 is a pretty good day. A debut and then a goal. Who knows what next year has in store?

Jonas Siegenthaler’s first NHL goal comes on a date he’ll always “I'll remember both, but yeah that first puck is always something special I remember think - and yeah first game as well,” Siegenthaler said. “Both are pretty cool."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 Brian McNally

November 09, 2019 11:06 PM

WASHINGTON — The space cleared and Capitals defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler’s eyes lit up. This might be it.

One year exactly from his NHL debut last Nov. 9, a date he’ll remember like an anniversary or a birthday, in his 44th career game, Siegenthaler saw teammate Travis Boyd turn in the far corner and he made his move.

The pass slide past the helpless Vegas Golden Knights and Siegenthaler caught the puck cleanly on his stick. With a few extra moments of time and space, Siegenthaler ripped a shot past future Hall-of-Fame goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and the Capital One Arena crowd and his teammates erupted. The goal proved to be the game-winner in a 5-2 victory over Vegas.

“It was like a relief,” Siegenthaler said. “I was just screaming it out. Yeah. Felt pretty good.”

After the game, while reporters swarmed his locker, teammate Tom Wilson came in late with a towel full of shaving cream. Wilson only got half of Siegenthaler’s face. Maybe he blocked the rest. He’s become pretty good at that in his second season, his first full one in the NHL.

Yuhh pic.twitter.com/HYFk33nEvX

— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) November 10, 2019

Using his 6-foot-3, 210-pound frame, Siegenthaler leads the Capitals in blocks and it’s made a difference on an improved penalty kill.

[Siegenthaler] looks pretty good over there. The long arm,” defenseman John Carlson said. “He’s been great and I said that at the beginning of the year he was ready for a big year. Just so much talent and skill.”

“Upstairs he’s a balanced guy that’s into it every day, practice and games. I think he really wants to learn and I think this whole season he’s been playing awesome. Nice to see him get rewarded, get that off his back and hopefully build some momentum for himself."

Siegenthaler just quietly goes about his business in a locker room full of loud veterans. Wilson laughed as he walked away. “That was a good one.”

He might have meant the shaving cream, but he could have meant the goal, too. It really was a pretty play all around. Siegenthaler played on the top pairing with Carlson early in the year – as he did in the last spring – and has been with Nick Jensen lately on the third now that Michal Kempny is back.

Siegenthaler is far from a finished product and 44 games isn’t enough of a sample size even for a player drafted in the second round in 2015. But his progress is encouraging.

“Having played and coached that position for a long time now…probably you get to see a player's upside as a defenseman around 200 games,” Capitals coach Todd Reirden said. “That's something I look at. So you're still forming their identity of what they can do and what they can't do and then you slot them properly and then you kind of see how they respond and then you try to re-slot them again later on in the year or next year. And then now you start to see what these players are capable of.”

Afterward, there were pictures. Siegenthaler posed with the puck, which was snatched off the ice by teammate Brendan Leipsic. The Capitals social media team had him take another one with the puck and while wearing the Nationals’ batting helmet, which goes to the player of the game.

First goal on the anniversary of your first game.

Atta boy, @josieg97!!#ALLCAPS #NHLFirsts pic.twitter.com/qyipEXI2S0

— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) November 10, 2019 1160824 Washington Capitals The penalty kill delivered again, however, even on a night in which Carl Hagelin was out with an upper-body injury. Washington gave up only one goal on the four opportunities.

Bet on red: Capitals outlast Vegas Golden Knights for sixth straight win Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019

J.J. Regan

November 09, 2019 9:41 PM

WASHINGTON -- In a rematch of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final, the Capitals jumped out to an early 2-0 lead and the Vegas Golden Knights were never able to recover as Washington earned the 5-2 win on Saturday. The win extends the Caps' win streak to six games and points streak to 11.

Here is how the Caps won.

The first six minutes

On Thursday, the Caps scored 25 seconds into the game against the Florida Panthers, but failed to take advantage and gave up a goal to Frank Vatrano just 95 seconds later. Washington again got off to a fast start on Saturday with a breakaway goal 58 seconds in.

This time, they did not allow a quick rally and kept pushing the tempo. Jonathan Marchessault had to take a hooking penalty to prevent a T.J. Oshie back-door goal as the Caps were buzzing. Washington did not score on the resulting power play, but Tom Wilson put the Caps up 2-0 just 15 seconds after Marchessault came out of the box.

A perfect breakout

If you want to know what a good breakout looks like in hockey, just watch the beautiful work the Caps did on Kuznetsov's early goal.

As Vegas tried to enter the offensive zone, Dmitry Orlov cut-off the puck and started the breakout effort for Washington. He passed the puck behind the net to Radko Gudas. Gudas passed it up the wall to Jakub Vrana. At that point, confident the Caps had possession, Kuznetsov took off down the ice. Vrana passed it middle to Orlov who had wheeled around after the initial pass. Orlov had two options at that point as he was taking the puck out of the defensive zone. Tom Wilson was open on the left and Kuznetsov was in the middle of three Golden Knights players. The difference, however, was that Kuznetsov had a full head of steam and just needed a good pass to launch the breakaway. Orlov thread the needle and Kuznetsov made no mistake on the breakaway, going forehand and cutting left to beat Marc-Andre Fleury blocker-side.

Happy anniversary

With the score 2-1 late in the second period, the game suddenly was very close. Neither team could really seize the momentum in what was a sluggish period until Jonas Siegenthaler gave Washington some breathing room.

Washington dumped the puck into the offensive zone. Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore got there first and tried to clear it along the boards. Travis Boyd blocked the clear and held the puck in the corner. He looked up and managed to find Siegenthaler coming in alone from the opposite corner of the blue line. Both players showed great patience on the play as Boyd fed Siegenthaler the puck and he took all the time he needed to aim it and fire past Fleury.

The goal was a special one for two reasons. First, it was Siegenthaler's first-career NHL goal. Second, it came on the one-year anniversary of his NHL debut.

The penalty kill

If the Caps did one thing wrong in this game, it was the penalties. Washington gave Vegas four power plays on the night and they came at critical moments in the game.

Gudas was called for interference with three seconds remaining in the first period. Just 28 seconds after Siegenthaler handed the Caps some breathing room with his insurance tally, Garnet Hathaway was called for elbowing. Oshie was called for roughing when he took down Brayden McNabb after time had expired in the second period giving Vegas a full two-minute power play to start the third and Washington took a too many men penalty early in the third period while clinging to a one-goal lead. 1160825 Washington Capitals their hard game, it's tough to play against them and compete against them.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 Tom Wilson, Ryan Reaves downplay their on-ice rivalry

J.J. Regan

November 09, 2019 12:40 PM

ARLINGTON, Va. -- On Dec. 4, 2018, Ryan Reaves was ejected for a hit he delivered to Tom Wilson that knocked Wilson out of the game and out of the lineup with a concussion. That was the last matchup between the Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights that season meaning that fans had to wait until 2019 for the rematch. Surely this was a game that both Wilson and Reaves had circled in their calendars, just counting down the days until the next time they could face each other.

For those of you waiting for a heavy-weight bout to play out on the ice, it sounds like you are going to be disappointed.

“It wasn't, I don't think, that bad a hit,” Tom Wilson said. “It was just kind of unfortunate.”

“To be honest, I feel like I might like Tom Wilson off the ice,” Reaves told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I don’t know him. I’ve heard some good things about him.”

A war of word, this is not.

That lack of juice between the players extends to the coaches as well. Vegas head coach Gerard Gallant was asked about the Reaves hit on Friday after practice and he did not even remember what happened.

“I don't know if they think about it, I definitely don't think about it,” he said. “We're playing to get two points and it's a team in the East and we're a team in the West.”

You can file this as everyone playing nice for the media and saying what they are supposed to say, but even strategically, it doesn’t make much sense for Wilson and Reaves to drop the gloves.

Wilson is a second-line player and a valuable offensive weapon for the Caps. Reaves, meanwhile, is a fourth-line player whose job it is to agitate players like Wilson and get him off the ice.

Wilson said he was conscious of that dynamic heading into Saturday’s contest.

“I think that's exactly what he wants,” Wilson said. “There's two sides to everything. I have to understand what he wants and I have to worry about my own game what I think's best to help our team win. He can move, he's a good player. He's actually got pretty good skill for a big guy. That being said, he's going to have a focus coming into tonight just like every other player on the ice is going to have so you've just got to worry about your own game and control what I can control and from there hopefully we're playing a good group game and let him worry about what he wants to do tonight.”

“Tom and I have a lot of discussions over the last year plus dealing with these types of things,” Todd Reirden said. “There's no secret how valuable he is to our team and how our team can have success with him. He's used in all possible situations on our team. He's a valuable asset that we want to have on the ice to help us. Obviously they're competitive guys and hockey is a competitive game and things happen. We'll see how tonight's game goes.”

But even if Wilson and Reaves decide to play nice, that doesn’t mean there won’t be any physical play on Saturday.

The Caps are a physical team that likes to play a physical game. They added players like Garnet Hathaway and Radko Gudas in the offseason to help the team be more physical up and down the lineup.

Gallant on Friday said that was just fine with him.

“When we're playing our best game, we've got some guys that play a heavy game and we've got some big defensemen, couple of forwards upfront. Not a whole lot different than those guys. You can look around the league and there's not many Tom Wilsons and there's not many Ryan Reaves, those type of players, big physical guys. When they play 1160826 Washington Capitals but they also seem to be doing it a bit under the radar which is fine by pretty much everyone in the Caps’ locker room.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.10.2019 4 things to know for Caps-Golden Knights: A Stanley Cup rematch

J.J. Regan

November 09, 2019 12:12 PM

ARLINGTON, Va -- The Capitals (12-2-3) have won five straight and will put that streak on the line Saturday as they host the Vegas Golden Knights (9-5-3) in a rematch of the 2018 Stanley Cup Final. You can catch all the action on NBC Sports Washington with Caps FaceOff Live kicking things off at 6 p.m. before Caps Pregame Live begins at 6:30 p.m. to bring you up to the 7 p.m. puck drop. Stick with NBC Sports Washington afterward for Caps Postgame Live and Caps Overtime Live.

Here are four things to know for Saturday’s game.

No Hagelin

Carl Hagelin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury and will not play in Saturday’s game.

Here are the liens from the morning skate:

Alex Ovechkin - Nicklas Backstrom - T.J. Oshie

Jakub Vrana - Evgeny Kuznetsov - Tom Wilson

Chandler Stephenson - Lars Eller - Garnet Hathaway

Brendan Leipsic - Nic Dowd - Travis Boyd

Michal Kempny - John Carlson

Dmitry Orlov - Radko Gudas

Jonas Siegenthaler - Nick Jensen

The absence of Hagelin means Stephenson moves up to the third line and Dowd is back in on the fourth line. This will be Dowd’s first game since Oct. 29

Tom Wilson vs. Ryan Reaves

This will be the first game between Vegas and Washington since Dec. 4, 2018. In that game, Ryan Reaves was ejected for delivering a late hit to Tom Wilson that knocked him out of the game. Wilson was out of the lineup for the next 10 days due to a concussion. The hit became even more controversial when Reaves signed photos of the hit. The team quickly stepped in and took those photos off the market.

So should we expect any retribution from Wilson or more shenanigans? It is hard to tell. Both players downplayed it going in. Wilson is on the second line while Reaves is a fourth-liner. Not only will they not be on the ice together all that much, but Wilson is a much more valuable player to the Caps than Reaves is to Vegas. Wilson said he was conscious of that and that if Reaves tries to agitate him it will be to try to get him off the ice.

The return of Schmidt

Former Cap and fan-favorite Nate Schmidt will be in the lineup for Vegas. This is Schmidt’s third season with the Golden Knights, but he still remains a favorite among the Caps’ players.

Catching up with old pal Nate Schmidt pic.twitter.com/4HCZMQPbLR

— JJ Regan (@JJReganNBCS) November 8, 2019

Schmidt played a huge factor in last year’s loss to Vegas, scoring two goals including the game-winner.

No. 1

If you follow the rest of the NHL, you’ve probably heard a lot about how good the Boston Bruins are, how the St. Louis Blues are playing like the defending champs or that the New York Islanders just won 10 straight. But it is the Caps who sit atop the league standings on Saturday with 27 points.

Washington has won five straight and has a point streak of 10 games (9- 0-1). They have not lost since Oct. 14. Not only are they playing great, 1160827 Winnipeg Jets "My mindset coming here is to take whatever I can get and make the most of it. If I’m thrown in every three games, great. If I get five minutes or 25 minutes, whatever. I just want to make the best of it."

Fine move for Finn In each of his stops the past few years, Sbisa has been viewed as a bit of a reclamation project. He’s big — 6-3, 210 pounds — and he skates well. However, his defensive reads over the course of his career have been suspect. But he’s done an adequate job on Winnipeg’s depleted back Jason Bell end. 11/10/2019 3:00 AM "He’s a pro defenceman," Maurice said. "He understands what he’s good at and he’s not trying to add two or three more layers to impress people. He’s that stand-up guy. He’ll block shots, he’ll hit and he’s over 500 “I’m really happy with the decision. It’s absolutely the right place for him games, but at 18 minutes a night. He’s a pro. I had him at the World Cup to be. We have to be patient with this young man,” Maurice said, and he’s a really good man, and I knew he’d fit into our room. He’s happy regarding Ville Heinola. and we’re happy."

A return to Finland is the right move for young defenceman Ville Heinola, Jets avoid sin bin Winnipeg Jets coach says. The Jets remain the least-penalized team in the NHL this season, with an The 18-year-old suited up for 11 games during his first foray into North average of 4.6 penalty minutes per game. That’s a good thing, because American-style hockey, but was reassigned Friday to Lukko Rauma of the Central Division squad’s penalty killers are running at just a 72.2 per the Finnish Liiga for the rest of the season. cent efficiency rating — third-worst behind only the Detroit Red Wings (67.2) and Los Angeles Kings (70.9). The numbers have been trending Heinola had five points (1G, 4A) in eight games for the Jets this season up, though, since the Heritage Claccic. and added an assist in three games with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. Winnipeg has taken just 34 minor penalties in 17 games this season, less than half the 77 minor penalties NHL-leading Calgary had taken prior to "I’m really happy with the decision. It’s absolutely the right place for him its matchup with the St. Louis Blues on Saturday night. to be. We have to be patient with this young man," Maurice said, following practice Saturday. The Jets have taken two penalties or less in a dozen of their 17 games this season. Only blue-liner Dmitry Kulikov has hit double-digits in penalty "He left here (Friday) feeling really good about himself, really good about minutes (12). his impact that he made with the Jets organization and excited to get on with his career. He’s 18, he needs to be playing positive minutes in a Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.10.2019 positive environment. I’m really happy with the decision and more happy that we drafted him."

Selected in the first round (20th overall) this past June, the left-shooting blue-liner flashed plenty of the wow factor during training camp with his decision-making and puck-moving ability. He made his NHL debut and recorded his first point (an assist) on Oct. 3 in New York against the Rangers. He scored his first goal Oct. 8 against the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

But the heavy NHL game started to take a toll on the slight teen, and he was also a healthy scratch for three games before being sent down to the Moose.

"There aren’t 18-year-old defencemen playing in the NHL for good reason, because you can ruin them at his build. And his style of game, we don’t want that to change and the American League, there’s a lot of heavy, heavy forwards and it’s actually harder for a guy like Ville to play at that level because it’s not defined," Maurice said.

"We want him to train to be a certain kind of defenceman and we’re not worried about what year it is that he plays for the Winnipeg Jets. We want him to be that kind of defenceman. He can continue along his development path of being a puck-moving, power-play guy back home. And whether he comes in and makes our team or plays for the Moose next year, the most important thing is we get the Ville Heinola we know he can be as that player at some point in the future."

Sbisa glad to be here

Luca Sbisa isn’t looking too far into the future — he’s just happy with his current lot in life.

The latest addition to the Winnipeg defensive corps said he’s enjoying every moment spent in his new surroundings with his new teammates, and is comfortable in whatever role the NHL club asks him to play.

Sbisa, 29, played his fifth game with Winnipeg on Friday and has 509 career games under his belt, split between Philadelphia, Anaheim, Vancouver, Vegas and the New York Islanders.

"I basically met everyone on the plane to Regina — just a great group of guys," said Sbisa, who was claimed off waivers Oct. 23, just a day after he signed a one-year contract with the Ducks, and accompanied the Jets to the Heritage Classic. "I’ve been here a week, yet it feels so much longer. Some teams are a bit more challenging to find that fit, but this team has been probably the easiest so far. 1160828 Winnipeg Jets game is different, and now he’s in that fourth full year of understanding that No. 1 role and what it takes to stay sharp and how hard you’ve got to compete in the crease every night to find those pucks."

Hellebuyck demystifies dark art of goaltending After a sensational 2017-18 campaign (44-11-9, six shutouts, 2.36 GAA, .924 save percentage), Hellebuyck’s numbers dipped last season and Jets 'keeper keeps turning in superb outings the eye test alone showed he struggled at times. He finished 34-23-3 (2.90 GAA, .913 S%).

The 6-4, 210-pound netminder was asked to clarify "a trigger point." Jason Bell "I mean I don’t want to give my secrets away, but it helps my upper body 11/9/2019 8:25 PM stay balanced with my lower body. They’re not connected and they both can react and do what they need to do to get to the spots," he said, in Helle-speak. Connor Hellebuyck has a way of giving a complex answer to a simple question. But the fifth-round pick of the 2012 NHL entry draft, now in the second season of a six-year, US$37-million contract, was crystal clear about his The Winnipeg Jets goaltender has a language all his own, and the priorities on the ice. systematic approach with which he delivers his words, while endearing, takes some extra effort by the inquisitor to clarify the message. "Anyone would be lying if they (said) they didn’t look at their stats. Stats are fun, as long as you don’t use it in the wrong way, as long as you don’t Canucks forward Brandon Sutter barges into Jets goalie Connor let it control your game. It’s fun to put a little goal for yourself and Hellebuyck’s crease. Hellebuyck is starting to find his form this season. continue to build and continue to get better and put more stats up," Hellebuyck said. "But, that being said, the most important one is wins and "The guys in front of me have done a really good job of allowing me to that’s the only one I care about and that’s the only one this team cares see pucks, which is huge. This summer, I worked really hard at getting about." some depth in my game and then I found my trigger. I got balance again," Hellebuyck said Saturday afternoon, less than a full day after yet Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.10.2019 another superb performance between the pipes. He turned aside 32 shots as the Jets dumped the visiting Vancouver Canucks 4-1.

Depth. Trigger. Balance. Huh?

'I found my trigger. I got balance again... I don't want to give my secrets away'

— Connor Hellebuyck speaks in goalie tongue

"My balance is good, my feel is good, my depth is good, so I’m just kind of letting things fall into place. When I square up on a puck, I know where my hands are and how I can move, so I’m letting the puck come to me and reacting to it," he said. "It feels so smooth and I feel square on every single puck now, which is just adding confidence.

"One thing leads into another, and then your mind’s just taking over and it’s almost not even goaltending. You’re just going through the actions because it’s happening so smoothly."

Basically, when he’s playing his best, he’s cruising on autopilot. And the statistical story suggests he’s encountered some turbulence in just two of his 13 starts during the 2019-20 NHL season. Hellebuyck is 7-5-1 with a 2.30 goals-against average and .933 save percentage, tied for fourth- best in the NHL prior to Saturday’s 11-game slate.

Blemishes were a sub-par assignment in a season-opening 6-4 defeat to the host New York Rangers and a shaky effort Oct. 29 in Anaheim (five goals on 19 shots) that resulted in head coach Paul Maurice replacing him with Laurent Brossoit in the second period of a 7-4 loss.

In four of his past five games, he’s had a save percentage above .960. Indeed, the 26-year-old product of Commerce, Mich., is in a groove reminiscent of the consistent work he put in two years ago when he was in Vezina-calibre form.

"I think he’s been awesome. He’s won us some games single-handedly, he’s given us a chance to be in a lot of games and he’s confident in the net," Winnipeg defenceman Josh Morrissey said. "He looks like a guy who’s one year older, one more year going into his prime, confident in his abilities. He worked hard during the summer, he’s in great shape, he works hard in practice, so we’re definitely really confident having him in the net."

Maurice indicated Saturday following practice that he’ll turn to his No. 1 masked man once again when the Dallas Stars visit Bell MTS Place.

The Winnipeg bench boss said Hellebuyck has been rock-solid facing shooters with clean looks, fights through traffic to make stops and smother loose pucks and has been tidy at controlling his rebounds.

"There’s a calm in his game, for sure. What stands out is how hard he’s fighting to find the puck through traffic. I don’t like to comment too much technically as I don’t understand what goalies do, just whether they stop it or not. But I know he’s worked hard at finding the pucks," Maurice said. "A lot of it is experience, no different than any other player. The NHL 1160829 Winnipeg Jets Defence Esa Lindell-Andrej Sekera

Jamie Oleksiak-Miro Heiskanen JETS GAME DAY: Jets look to snap Stars' four-game winning streak Joel Hanley-Taylor Fedun

Goalies Scott Billeck Ben Bishop November 9, 2019 7:14 PM CST Anton Khudobin

WINNIPEG JETS Dallas Stars at Winnipeg Jets Forwards Sunday, 1 p.m., BellMTS Place; TV: TSN3; Radio: TSN-1290 Kyle Connor-Mark Scheifele-Patrik Laine THE BIG MATCHUP Nikolaj Ehlers-Blake Wheeler-Jack Roslovic Connor Hellebuyck vs. all comers Andrew Copp-Adam Lowry-Mathieu Perreault Save for a tough outing against the Anaheim Ducks a couple of weeks ago, Connor Hellebuyck has been nothing short of lights out for the Joona Luoto-David Gustafsson-Logan Shaw Winnipeg Jets, and a thorn in the side for opposing teams. He’s allowed two goals or fewer in nine of his 13 games this season and has posted a Defence .920 save percentage or better in 10 of them. He’s saved a league-high Josh Morrissey-Tucker Poolman 9.27 goals above average despite seeing the most shots of any goalie at five-on-five. There’s a reason why the Jets are above .500 with a 9-7-1 Dmitry Kulikov-Neal Pionk record this season, and his name is Hellebuyck, who they will lean on as much as ever against a Stars team searching for its fifth straight win. Nathan Beaulieu-Luca Sbisa

5 KEYS TO THE GAME Goalies

More of that Connor Hellebuyck

Winnipeg’s power play received a slight adjustment to it in the absence of Laurent Brossoit Bryan Little on Friday and it paid off on back-to-back opportunities in the Injuries second period. The Jets stole the momentum from the visiting Vancouver Canucks, keeping them hemmed in their own zone for the full duration of Stars: F Roope Hintz, F Martin Hanzal, D Andrej Sekera, D Roman the first man-advantage. On the second, Jack Roslovic fired home the Polak, D Stephen Johns, D John Klingberg game-tying goal, one that seemed to kickstart Winnipeg’s offence. Jets: F Mason Appleton, F Mark Letestu, F Bryan Little, F Gabriel Solving Bishop Bourque, D Dustin Byfuglien (suspended)

The Stars bring with them a hot goalie of their own in Ben Bishop, who Special Teams has allowed just a single goal in each of his past two starts. He’s had to keep the goals against low. Despite their current four-game run, the Stars POWER PLAY are averaging just 2.41, third-fewest among the NHL’s 31 teams. Stars: 13.2% (27th)

Keep it Connor-ing Winnipeg: 16.4% (22nd)

Kyle Connor scored the game-tying goal against the Canucks on Friday PENALTY KILLING after stealing the puck from Tyler Myers and making Thatcher Demko look silly with his signature deke in the second period. Connor would set Stars: 84.1% (10th) up the game-winning goal later in the frame and now has seven points, Winnipeg: 72.2% (29th) including five assists, in his past four games. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 11.10.2019 Jets killer

Tyler Seguin loves himself some Winnipeg Jets. It’s his time to feast and feast he does. There’s no team that has been more appetizing for the Stars star forward that Seguin, who in 36 games against the Jets has 23 goals and 19 assists for 42 points in his career. As always, the Jets will have to have eyes in the back of their head when Seguin is on the ice.

Penalty killed

If you were an opposing team and the Jets gifted you a penalty earlier this season, you had a near-50% chance of scoring. The Jets were a horrid 56.2% on the PK through their first nine games. That number has risen dramatically during their current four-game homestand, having killed off all five times they’ve been shorthanded. The Jets are 10-for-11 (90.9%) on the penalty kill in their past five games.

GAME DAY LINEUPS

DALLAS STARS

Forwards

Denis Gurianov-Tyler Seguin-Alexander Radulov

Jamie Benn-Jason Dickinson-Joe Pavelski

Mattias Janmark-Justin Dowling-Corey Perry

Andrew Cogliano-Radek Faksa-Blake Comeau 1160830 Winnipeg Jets even goaltending. You’re just going through the actions because it’s happening so smoothly.”

Big, boring (in a good way) and smooth. Calm, if you will. A palpable Re-calibrated Hellebuyck working wonders for Jets calmness.

“Especially with a young D and a lot of new faces, I think that confidence is huge for us,” defenceman Josh Morrissey said. “I think as a group back Scott Billeck there we’ve making some big strides and competing and working hard, and when you see your goalie playing with that level of confidence, it November 9, 2019 7:13 PM CST radiates throughout the team.”

‘THE RIGHT DECISION’ Through his best starts and the ones that are best left forgotten, Connor At the end of the day, it was Ville Heinola’s decision to return to Finland Hellebuyck has remained steadfast in a common thread no matter the this season. circumstance: he always likes his game. He had that choice, a clause in his contract that he enacted on Friday. At times, it’s become a touch comical when those words emanate from But it’s not a decision that the Winnipeg Jets disagreed with. In fact, it his mouth. It’s understandable, of course, when he stops, say, 51 out of appears they may have encouraged it. 53 shots faced and gives his team a chance to win when he would have been forgiven for allowing a few more. “I’m really happy with the decision,” Maurice said. “It’s absolutely the right place for him to be. We have to be patient with this young man. I’ve seen But how does a goalie like their game when, for instance, they allow five 18-year-old defencemen come in and they’ve scored goals and looked goals on 19 shots and are yanked out of the game by the head coach? good and then by the middle of December, they’re getting pound one-on- Or how does a netminder find the good when they’ve been pulled in one, they lose their confidence, they don’t touch the puck anymore. back-to-back starts? Coaches are getting paid to win hockey games, their minutes are getting Hellebuyck’s positivity rarely wavers. He subscribes to a certain way of cut back and all you’ve done is taken a young kid who’s had a great thinking — a world view of sorts that he gained in a documentary called training camp and turned it into a complete failure by the team he leaves. The Secret. His ‘If you believe, you can achieve’ mentality is one that Maurice said there’s a reason why you don’t see 18-year-old centres him, in hockey and in life. defencemen in the NHL, especially those of Heinola’s slight build. So while the average onlooker might be taken aback by Hellebuyck’s “You can ruin them,” Maurice said. “And his style of game, we don’t want assertions about his own game when they appear the complete opposite that to change and the American League, there’s a lot of heavy, heavy of what the eyes say, he’s looking at the game through a far different forwards and it’s actually harder for a guy like Ville to play at that level lens. because it’s not defined. “A goaltender doesn’t necessarily only assess his game by the save he “He left here yesterday feeling really good about himself, really good makes but by the save selection he makes — ‘I was right on that. I about his impact that he made with the Jets organization and excited to moved right. I was where I needed to be. I just didn’t get a handle on it. I get on his career. He’s 18, he needs to be playing positive minutes in a liked my thought process through the whole sequence of events,’ ” positive environment. I’m really happy with the decision and more happy Maurice said. that we drafted him.” “And there will be nights where we’ve won games and he’s let in a goal Winnipeg Sun LOADED 11.10.2019 and he’s just angry at himself because he didn’t like the read on the shot, he didn’t make the right save election, they call it, where your body is positioned when the puck comes to you. He gets through some of those nights where maybe a few more get by him and people would think you couldn’t assess your game positively but he goes, ‘You know what, my brain was right, my body didn’t react exactly the way I wanted, but I made the right decisions.’ ”

Hellebuyck’s back-to-Vezina-calibre form this season is a product of re- calibrating himself.

“This summer I worked really hard at getting some depth in my game and then I found my trigger, I got balance again,” Hellebuyck said.

What’s a trigger?

“I mean I don’t want to give my secrets away, but it helps my upper body stay balanced with my lower body,” he said. “They’re not connected and they both can react and do what they need to do to get to the spots.

“With the new chest pad that came out (last year), I didn’t even realize I had a trigger point in my balance, my upper-body balance.”

And a variation in a piece of equipment can trigger the trigger?

“It throws you off,” Hellebuyck said. “Maybe that’s just my excuse but I definitely felt it.”

Hellebuyck’s .913 save percentage last season was down sharply from the .924 the year prior when he finished as the runner-up in Vezina voting.

This year, he’s rocking a .933 through 13 games (.944 at five-on-five) despite seeing the most shots of any goalie in the league at 355 at five- on-five. He has allowed two goals or fewer in nine of those games and has a .920 save percentage or better in 10 of them. His goals saved above average is at an NHL-best 9.27.

“It feels so smooth (now) and I feel square on every single puck now, which is just adding confidence,” Hellebuyck said. “And then one thing lead into another and then your mind’s just taking over and it’s almost not 1160831 Winnipeg Jets Either way, the big blue hole in front of the opposition’s net is something of a shock.

Enter the Scheifele-Wheeler split. Ates: With Blake Wheeler and Patrik Laine struggling, the Jets are One of the cardinal rules of the Jets’ roster construction since 2017-18 getting by on hard work and heart has been that Wheeler and Scheifele lined up side by side on the top line. Occasionally, an injury, such as Scheifele’s in 2017-18, or a uniquely awful performance, like Winnipeg’s 7-1 loss to Colorado in Murat Ates February, separated the duo for a short stint, but it never lasted.

Nov 9, 2019 Meanwhile, what was once unstoppable has become badly beaten.

In 1,368 minutes since the start of last season, Wheeler and Scheifele have been outshot 751-704, out-chanced 627-581 and outscored 68-65 Trying circumstances forced Paul Maurice to take a chance. at five-on-five. Sure, they play against the best players, but if Winnipeg is Mark Scheifele and Blake Wheeler went from being first-line running to have success, Scheifele and Wheeler need to be among the best mates to being the top two centers. Wheeler and Patrik Laine were players. removed from the top power-play unit. Bryan Little’s injury may give the Jets a long-term look at Scheifele and One change was a long time in the making. The other was destined to Wheeler on separate lines. The opportunity is real. Despite citing their inspire hot taking. expected-goals stats as an attempted explanation for their seemingly permanent partnership, Maurice will learn what the Jets can do when Both paid off. their talent is spread out.

Wheeler’s first power-play point of the season led to Jack Roslovic’s “Nothing comes easy for us,” Wheeler said last week. That’s a feeling he brilliant, tenacious, tying goal, and Scheifele’s sixth goal of the season knows well as the captain of a struggling team. stood as the winner. Wheeler wasn’t on the ice because, in a rare turn, he and Scheifele started the game on separate lines. Connor Hellebuyck Given the absences and injuries, it’s tough to argue from afar, either. was spectacular — again — and Vancouver faded as the game went on, That’s why pulling Laine, one of the most dangerous shooters, from the so it’s not all roses, but the Jets played one of the best games of their Jets’ top power-play unit seems to be a curious decision. season Friday night. Yes, the power play had been struggling. No, Laine doesn’t have a single Depending on perspective, Winnipeg’s 9-7-1 record is either a sign the power-play goal. Jets, constantly forced to “stay in the fight” to earn points, are coming together as a group or an indication that those points come more from But the man can still shoot. happenstance and Hellebuyck than their habits with a hockey puck. The difference isn’t in his ability to launch rockets; it’s in how often he’s Both of those things can be true. The underlying process numbers can been getting the launch codes. Via Natural Stat Trick, Laine’s power-play be poor at the same time the human process elements — attitude, shot rate early this season is the lowest of his career. After leading all resilience, a willingness to battle — are strong. Jets skaters in shots per 60 minutes on the power play through the first three years of his career, Laine has dropped to sixth. The Jets are not a juggernaut, not even close. Winnipeg carries the 22nd-ranked power play, the 29th-ranked penalty kill and the 30th-ranked When Josh Morrissey takes more shots on the power play than Laine expected-goals percentage at five-on-five. Meanwhile, Hellebuyck carries does, there is a problem — and it’s not either player’s shooting ability. It’s the fourth-best save percentage at .933 and is first with 11 goals saved the Jets’ ability to find seams. Without Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba or above average via Evolving Hockey. Tyler Myers as right-handed shooting options at the point, teams have been able to cover the seam pass against Winnipeg’s power play much It’s not hard to see what’s going on. The Jets have largely been more effectively than in years past. outplayed at five-on-five, and their special teams are a work in progress. Hellebuyck is matching his positive self-talk with a Vezina-calibre walk Past years’ success was not about teams knowing or not knowing the early in the season and, as a result, Winnipeg is just one point out of the Jets plans — it was about teams being forced to respect so many options Western Conference’s second wild-card spot. that Laine would get open anyway. Even one year ago, when everyone knew what the Jets were trying to do, Laine took 20 shots for every 60 Poor underlying numbers, a majority of wins at three-on-three or in the minutes of power-play time. This year, he’s taken 12. shootout and dependency on elite goaltending is not a recipe for sustainable success. In fact, as Evolving Wild noted Saturday, the Jets Neal Pionk’s one-timer doesn’t earn nearly the same respect (measured are in bad company at five-on-five. in coverage tight enough to open up seams) as Dustin Byfuglien’s did.

THIS YEAR’S JETS AND RANGERS, SO FAR, SIT AMONG ELITE Enter Roslovic, the man who tied the score Friday night on the Jets’ COMPANY (XGF% AT 5V5 SINCE 2007). second power-play unit. PIC.TWITTER.COM/9POXNQ1EPS Out of respect for Little, Roslovic insists his rise to second-line winger — EVOLVINGWILD (@EVOLVINGWILD) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 isn’t an “opportunity.”

Forget the Vezina Trophy. It may be time to start a Hellebuyck-for-Hart “It’s not the right word to use,” Roslovic said Saturday. “Injuries are going campaign. Since 2007-08, only three teams have posted a worse on, but it’s a hole to fill while people are out.” expected-goals percentage than the Jets have so far. When Roslovic drove the Canucks’ net and buried his own rebound, Suddenly, a 4-1 win over the tired Canucks seems a little bit less Winnipeg’s demotion of Wheeler and Laine paid immediate dividends. impressive. Consider the heat maps from Hockey Viz as another indication the Jets aren’t controlling shot quality at five-on-five. It’s one thing for Roslovic to step up and impress, but Wheeler and Laine are traditionally prolific producers of power-play points. In the long run, The NHL tracks where shots are taken. Micah McCurdy plots them, Winnipeg is going to need to find Laine more looks, and those looks will showing above-average shot quantity with increasingly red colours and probably come from Wheeler’s passes. below-average shot quantity in blue. Positive “threat” numbers are good in the offensive zone but bad in the defensive zone, and Winnipeg Until then, the Jets continue to tread water — and, most importantly, they struggles on both fronts. continue to bank points. The process stats are uniquely poor, but the attitudes and work ethic are exemplary. Given the roster, the defence is perhaps not a surprise. But to get from there to sustainable success, Winnipeg will have to dig But the Jets still have an impressive offensive arsenal. It may be that even deeper. their commitment to covering up their defensive shortcomings has been too severe — that their offence has suffered disproportionately as a The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 result. 1160832 Winnipeg Jets Jets centre Adam Lowry has been impressed by how Gustafsson is handling the transition to the NHL game and sees some similarities to when frequent linemate Andrew Copp burst onto the scene in Winnipeg.

A tale of two Jets rookies: David Gustafsson sticks around as Ville “You know what, you’ve got to look at what (Copp) did. It’s a similar Heinola heads home situation,” Lowry said. “They come in and they didn’t play a ton of minutes, but they carve themselves out a role. Copp is on our power play now. He’s a key component on our penalty kill. He plays big minutes. He gets slotted up onto the second line sometimes and he can play in all Ken Wiebe situations. Nov 9, 2019 “Gus is still so young. You look at what a 19-year-old can do playing in the NHL, even just learning in practice. He’s starting to hold onto the puck a little more and make some more plays. You’re going to see him David Gustafsson is slowly moving from the pinch-me stage to having a continue to grow as the year goes on. He’s going to get stronger, and firm grasp on his new reality. he’s going to be a really dominant player down the middle for us.”

Friday night’s game — a 4-1 victory over the Vancouver Canucks — was On the flip side, the Jets sent rookie defenceman Ville Heinola to Lukko another important benchmark for the Winnipeg Jets’ rookie centre. Rauma of Liiga, the top league in Finland.

It was Gustafsson’s 10th game of the season, which means the Jets Heinola’s case is interesting as there were times this season when he have committed to using the first year of his entry-level deal — no matter was clearly among the top six blueliners, averaging more than 18 where things go from here. minutes per game and eclipsing 20 minutes in three of the eight games in which he suited up. “Yeah, it feels like big days and great things just come every single day right now. Of course, I’m treating it as a big day, and it really is,” said There were times when Heinola showed maturity and smarts beyond his Gustafsson, who has no points and is averaging 6:16 per game. “(The age and when his mobility and puck-moving ability shone through. Jets) haven’t told me anything yet, but me playing (Friday), it feels like they believe in me. It’s a good sign.” Heinola, who was drafted 20th in June, handled the defensive side of the game better than expected, and it’s clear he’s ahead of the development Known for his hockey sense and defensive prowess, Gustafsson has curve. worked hard to show he deserves to stick around. Ultimately, the NHL is not a place for on-the-job training, especially not “Of course, everyone wants to play more than six or seven minutes, but for slightly built 18-year-olds. it’s my rookie year in the NHL. You won’t hear me complain about my ice time,” Gustafsson said. “Every time I get a chance to do some extra After spending three games with the Manitoba Moose, Heinola is heading skating, to keep my conditioning up, I’ll take it — to keep my physical home, where he will finish out the last year of his contract with Lukko stamina up there. I just hope I’ll play good enough to play even more.” Rauma and suit up for the Finland national team at the 2020 World Junior Hockey Championship. Gustafsson didn’t know what to expect going into his first NHL training camp. Slowly but surely, he did enough of the little things to open some There could be other opportunities to play for Finland over the course of eyes and to earn the trust of the coaching staff. the year.

Despite sitting out the first seven games as a healthy scratch, when Mark Unlike last season, when 2017 first-rounder Kristian Vesalainen Letestu left the lineup, Gustafsson stepped up and fit right in. exercised an out clause in his contract to play for in the Kontinental Hockey League, the Jets believe Liiga is the best place for Most importantly, he stayed ready for when the opportunity came. Heinola to develop.

“That was good for me to be able to watch and learn and see how it is The Jets publicly supported Vesalainen’s decision, but they would have from that perspective. So, when I got to play, I was ready for it and I preferred he spend last season adjusting to the North American game knew what to do to stay here,” Gustafsson said. “I feel like I’m getting with the Moose. better every single day at it. It was tough at the start. The game went so fast and is a really physical style of play. I feel like I’m getting more into it As for Heinola, there would have been some benefits to his playing in the every game that I play. AHL as well, but it’s a taxing and more physical league.

“Hockey sense and smarts is my biggest strength, and that’s what I’m That way, Heinola follows the path of Dallas Stars defenceman Miro going to use when things are hard. I will rely on those things because Heiskanen, who spent his 18-year-old season in Liiga, then was a Calder that’s what I’m best at.” Trophy candidate.

Gustafsson had a welcome-to-the-NHL moment as he suited up in his Could Heinola have stayed with the Moose, returned to the Jets and first game against one of the players he admires most, Arizona Coyotes done more than tread water this season? captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who shares the same hometown as the Absolutely, but there’s no handbook for how a young player is going to Jets rookie. adapt on the fly to the NHL. “I didn’t really imagine that when I was back in Sweden in the summer Heinola, who had a goal and five points, doesn’t lack confidence or and preparing for the season,” Gustafsson said. “That was extra special. ability, but neither did 2011 first-rounder Mark Scheifele, who was sent When I’m playing, I’m just focusing on the game. You don’t think much back to the Ontario Hockey League twice before becoming an NHL about it, but I’m starting to feel like I’m an NHL player and I’m achieving regular. my dream. That’s pretty cool.” Playing in all situations and running the power play for Lukko Rauma isn’t Jets head coach Paul Maurice has been impressed with how Gustafsson going to hinder Heinola’s development. It will enhance it. has handled the transition to the North American game, even if he isn’t doling out a high volume of ice time so far. Pushing back Heinola’s arrival and not using up the first year of his entry- level deal could provide a benefit for the Jets when it comes to future “He’s getting better. He’s getting faster and stronger; 18- and 19-year- budgeting, but that wasn’t the impetus for the decision. olds break down when the enthusiasm of the NHL starts to fade,” Maurice said. “He’s smart. There’s not a video of him (showing But it can’t be ignored that the Jets probably saw a future two-year bridge mistakes). deal in the neighbourhood of $6 million (like Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk received) arriving a year earlier as something they would prefer to “What’s different about keeping him around as a 19-year-old is that he’s delay. actually training for the job that he’ll start with in the NHL. He’s going to start as a fourth-line centre and at some point we’ll assess where he The difference with Gustafsson is that given his role as a fourth-liner, at moves up in the lineup. Even at a low-minute game, we don’t feel like least for the time being, his second contract isn’t going to include a high we’re setting him back (in the development process).” cap number. Although Gustafsson could eventually work his way up the lineup, all signs point to his signing a two-year, $2 million deal after his entry-level deal ends, much like Lowry and Copp did.

Gustafsson hasn’t been told to find a place, and his spot on the Jets for the season isn’t guaranteed.

The Jets could also find themselves with another decision on Gustafsson next month, when Team Sweden will put in a request to make him available for the world junior tournament.

Gustafsson has played in two world junior events and was expected to play a pivotal role for his country in December.

Tomas Monten, Sweden’s head coach, said in September that Gustafsson was a candidate to be the team captain and would be a guy he would lean on if he was made available.

When asked about the prospect of playing for his country, Gustafsson once again showed he has great perspective on the situation.

“It really depends on how things are looking at that time. Right now, I’m in the NHL and I don’t want to miss an opportunity. I would do everything I can to play here,” Gustafsson said. “The world junior is a fun tournament and we have some revenge from last year. Both things would be a lot of fun.”

Gustafsson wasn’t trying to be politically correct.

He appreciates the opportunity he’s been given to become an NHL player and also understands how the world junior experience helped him reach his goal.

The Jets have had plenty of prospects suit up at the world junior and playing in the high-pressure environment has provided plenty of benefits for those players.

While the centre depth in the organization isn’t necessarily a position of strength right now, releasing Gustafsson to Team Sweden for roughly a three-week stretch is something that could give him a huge jolt of confidence.

And that’s why the Jets are going to give it strong consideration when the time comes.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160833 Vancouver Canucks “It was easy in the beginning,” Bo Horvat said after the loss in Winnipeg. “We were playing two games a week it seemed. Now everything’s getting thrown at us. I thought we handled it pretty well at the the beginning (of this 12-game stretch) but considering the schedule, I thought we came Canucks' start brings cautious optimism, but history can be a downer back (against the Jets) in a tough back-to-back and played well.”

“It’s a long season,” said Alex Edler. “You’re going to go through some ups and downs, but we only know one way to play the game. If we do Ed Willes that we’re going to win more games.” November 9, 2019 4:39 PM PST The Canucks, in fact, believe they’ve forged an identity this season and that represents a significant step in their evolution. They favour a speed- and-pressure game. They have depth throughout the lineup. They can For the moment, forget everything you know or think you know about the score and defend. Vancouver Canucks and look at the last three weeks of their season without being influenced by the NHL franchise’s sordid history. “We know who we are,” said Troy Stecher.

Beginning Oct. 17, the Canucks played 12 games, including nine on the Yes, there are some areas they need to address, specifically the five-on- road in three different time zones. Over that stretch, they compiled a 6-3- five production of Horvat’s line. Sven Baertschi got a look there Friday 3 record that has them tied for third in the Pacific Division and fourth in and had some moments. We’ll see if it was enough to keep him in the the Western Conference. lineup but you’d also bet on Horvat figuring things out before too long.

Not bad, right? I mean, a reasonable observer would conclude the As for the rest of it, things aren’t going to break the Canucks’ way every Canucks went through a difficult part of their schedule in commendable night. In their two-game roadie they didn’t have the better goalie on the fashion. They’re tied with Nashville for the best goal differential in the night, their best players were outplayed by the opposition’s best and they West. They are third in the conference in goals against. didn’t win the special team’s battle.

In short, there is a lot to like about the start to this Canucks’ season. That wasn’t the case for the first four weeks of the schedule but it happens in the NHL. Beginning Sunday afternoon the schedule goes The problem, of course, is the aforementioned history that clings to this back to favouring the Canucks. team like a bad rash. Big picture, the Canucks sailed through the last three weeks in exemplary fashion. But they also lost their last two games Let’s talk again at the end of next week. in regulation and, unfortunately, that tends to provoke a Pavlovian “I think we’re learning,” said head coach . “I talked to the response among the faithful, even if the players don’t share that view. team quickly after the game (in Winnipeg). That game could have gone “We all know good teams face adversity,” goalie Thatcher Demko said either way. There are probably games earlier we would have won that after Friday’s 4-1 loss in Winnipeg. “It’s not always going to be daisies game or got a point. That’s the NHL. You’re not always going to win the whole season.” those games but as long as you keep putting your best foot forward your chances of winning are a lot better.” That’s one way of putting it. Here’s another: Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.10.2019 “It’s not going to be all roses through the course of an 82-game schedule,” Brandon Sutter said.

Presumably, the same thing can be said of tulips and daffodils, but the larger point is the Canucks’ players regard their recent downturn as a function of the season’s inevitable ebb and flow. Based on their season to date they’ve earned the right to make that claim.

But, for the sake of everyone involved, it will help their cause immeasurably if they get things right in the upcoming four-game home stand, which opens Sunday afternoon against New Jersey.

Those with a keen sense of recent Canucks’ history are aware this team has enjoyed promising starts to other seasons only to see things go horribly wrong.

Last year the Canucks were 10-6-2 on Nov. 10, then won two games over the next month. The year before they were 13-10-4 on Dec. 5, then won one of their next nine. The two previous seasons the collapse came in January but, with the surety of death and taxes, it arrived which is why Canucks’ supporters get a little twitchy at the merest hint of a slump.

So is this season any different?

It’s a fair question. If you roll back the last five Canucks’ games, there’s been just one win in regulation, a 5-2 decision over San Jose. Yes, they dragged two other games into overtime but they’ve also scored a grand total of five goals in the two overtime losses and the recent road losses in Chicago and Winnipeg.

Just so you know, this does not come as a newsflash to the players.

THE HOMESTAND

• Sunday, 1 p.m., vs. New Jersey Devils

• Tuesday, 7 p.m., vs. Nashville Predators

• Thursday, 7 p.m., vs. Dallas Stars

• Saturday, 7 p.m., vs. Colorado Avalanche

* All games on SNET 650 AM Radio; all games televised on SNETP, Colorado game also on CBC 1160834 Vancouver Canucks 21-year-old in the American League with a good chance of turning into a helpful middle-six forward in the NHL.

“Confidence,” Lind said when asked about the difference between his How some real talk at the Craven Country Jamboree helped Kole Lind sophomore and his rookie seasons. “That’s the biggest thing for me. I get back on track as a top Canucks prospect want to be confident with the puck so I can make plays and produce. That’s something I have to bring on a nightly basis.”

Lind’s performance in the early going earned rave reviews from Sven Thomas Drance Baertschi, who spent seven games with the Comets after he was cut from Vancouver’s training camp roster in early October. Nov 9, 2019 “He’s a hell of a player,” Beartschi said. “And when I was there, he just

turned 21! It made me feel old. UTICA, N.Y. — Kole Lind is back on track after a first professional “He has good vision, reads play really well and always puts himself in a season that was one to forget. good position to succeed and score. Obviously, that shows on the score As a rookie and a very early second-round draft pick of the Vancouver sheet, but I thought he was just a really smart player. He’s not the fastest Canucks in 2017, Lind had high expectations going into last season, but skater out there, but somehow, he’s always around the puck.” he struggled to earn playing time after some injuries stalled his progress. Lind’s progress has been a welcome sign for Canucks management. With 17 points in 51 games, Lind didn’t put up points as expected. And Internally, there’s a sense of confidence buoyed by his solid start. And he didn’t play particularly well. the work he put in over the summer has been noticed, too.

It was an eye-opening experience for the talented forward, who turned 21 “I was never worried about Kole Lind,” Canucks general manager Jim in October. Benning said. “It’s a learning experience for these kids when they get drafted out of junior. They have to grow as players and people. He’s “I was used to just rolling, putting up points and scoring,” Lind said of his going through the process of doing all that. first-season struggles at Canucks prospect camp in September. “It was a change of scenery for me and a big adjustment.” “He put in a good summer. He came in, he was in really good shape to start the year. He worked on his skating, and it’s gotten better. I’m not As Lind returned to Saskatchewan for the offseason, he sought advice quick to judge. Kids develop at their own pace and take their own path. I from family and from family friends — people he knew from the hockey still believe strongly that Lind will be a good player for us at some point world and trusted. He was looking to rebuild his morale after a and help us win up here.” confidence-shaking experience as a rookie in pro hockey. In the meantime, in Utica, the work continues apace. By all accounts, At the Craven Country Jamboree — a Saskatchewan country music Lind has been putting that work in. festival — he bumped into Todd Ripplinger. Ripplinger is a longtime WHL scout who is working for the . In the past, Ripplinger “The big thing is puck protection, trying to get it so your foot and your had been Lind’s summer hockey coach and an adviser to Lind and his knee is in the way of the opposition’s stick so you can control the puck,” family as he charted a path through his hockey career as a teenager. Lind said of the working with Comets staff. “Then board battles, battles off the wall, especially off of breakouts, has been a big part of my game “We’re family friends, and I’ve been in the business for 20 years,” that I need to transition if I’m going to play in the NHL. Ripplinger said, laughing. “As he developed in his career, Kole and his family started to ask me some questions about the WHL prior to him “It’s something I work on ad nauseam, it seems like. I work on it a lot and being drafted by Kelowna. … I’ve got to know him and the family well.” I have to work on it. Guys are always coming with something new. There’s always defensemen pinching, so you have to find a way to “He was my summer hockey coach who I had when I was really young,” handle it and make plays.” Lind said, citing the conversation as one that had an impact on him putting a tough rookie year in the rear-view mirror. “We’re still family If Utica’s 2-1 loss to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday is any friends, and it really turned my head and made me work harder.” indication, there’s still work to be done.

It wasn’t an easy conversation. Ripplinger was frank. He laid out what he Lind’s overall skill level, intelligence and edge show through when he’s thought it would take for a talented player like Lind to maximize his playing — and he managed to pick up an assist by winning a power-play potential. faceoff after his centre was waved out of the circle — and the improvement in his game is apparent. “There’s times when I’m going to run into adversity, but I never had in my career before,” Lind said, recalling the conversation. “He just talked about There’s still the occasional youthful mistake, though, like on a second- it, told me to stick with it and commit to the game and to playing my period sequence when Lind burned a Penguins forechecker only to make game. He knows I have all the tools and I do, too, but he helped me stick an ill-timed pass in the neutral zone that resulted in an immediate with it.” turnover.

“Yeah, it was a tough chat,” Ripplinger said, “but I think he got the gist of “There’s times when I try to make a play that isn’t there,” Lind said. “And I the conversation and what I was getting at. have to know when I have to be a little bit more simplistic.”

“I’m hoping with the start he had this year that he took that to heart, There are also the lessons players often need to learn in the AHL about refocused on what he had to do to become a pro. I hope he takes it for how hard they have to work without the puck — not just on defense, but the good.” also on getting open in-zone and on breakouts.

It goes without saying that Lind’s start has been quality. “It’s not just about his offense, it’s about the stick battles, the willingness to get into that net-front area — because it’s a rewarding area,” Comets “IT’S NIGHT AND DAY,” #CANUCKS PROSPECT KOLE LIND SAYS OF coach Trent Cull said of working with Lind on rounding out his overall HOW FEELING BETTER IN YEAR TWO OF PRO HOCKEY. “I’M A LOT game. “We were talking about it this morning, talking about our wall work, MORE COMFORTABLE, EVEN JUST AROUND THE ROOM. I FEEL body position, where does he want to go to create some time and space. LIKE I CAN BE MYSELF MORE IN THE ROOM AND ON THE ICE. THAT COMFORT IS TRANSLATING FOR ME.” “And with him, we’re also talking about his forecheck. If he can do that, it helps him spend time in the offensive zone. He’s got good offensive — THOMAS DRANCE (@THOMASDRANCE) NOVEMBER 8, 2019 instincts, he has a long stick, so he has a good reach. It’s just those keys — if he can do the wall work, have a good forecheck — then it allows him He’s improved his all-around game and earned a much larger role with to create more.” the Comets. On the forechecking score, anyway, it seemed Friday as if Lind has the He’s amassed 10 points in 12 games; only veteran scoring forwards sort of feel for the game and the physical assertiveness required to be a Nikolay Goldobin and Reid Boucher have more among Comets players. disruptive influence when blitzing opponents’ breakouts. Lind is back to producing at the sort of rate the industry expects from a The hockey IQ side of Lind’s game has always been his calling card, and it was in evidence on a sequence in which he broke up a play in Utica’s defensive end and then forced a turnover on the forecheck — only to have the play blown dead when some Comets and Penguins players got caught up in a tussle well behind the play.

As for his overall offensive game, as with the rest of his Comets teammates, Lind’s scoring rate has slowed as the talent level has dipped in recent weeks.

With Baertschi and Adam Gaudette recalled to the NHL, Boucher, Jonah Gadjovich and Carter Camper injured and Vancouver calling up a variety of Utica defenders over the past two weeks, the Comets have had to juggle lines. The team that ventilated the rest of the league in building an 8-0-0 start has thinned out substantially, dropping its past four games.

For Lind, who had so much early success playing on a second line with Boucher and Camper, that’s meant adjusting to new linemates. He’s also been moved off of the first power-play unit as Comets coaches have searched for an answer with the man advantage. He’s generally playing in the bumper spot in the middle of Utica’s 1-3-1 formation when the Comets have the man advantage.

On Friday, on a frequently used scoring line with Goldobin and Tyler Graovac, Lind showed some flashes of solid playmaking ability both in zone and through the neutral zone, though his line wasn’t dominant in terms of generating zone time and shots.

A smart offensive player, Lind also takes some pest elements to the rink. When he’s at his best, to hear him tell it, it’s when that antagonistic side of his game is at the forefront.

“The biggest thing for me is when I’m pissing off the opposition,” Lind said, laughing. “I won’t necessarily drop the gloves, but I like to be in the mix. That’s the biggest thing to know if I’m on my game.”

For Vancouver, Lind’s emergence as one of the organization’s most promising prospects is crucial.

The Canucks are led by a very young core group of star-level players, but developing that next wave of supporting pieces is going to be key for their long-term prospects — particularly as Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes and Brock Boeser are due to become significantly more expensive over the next two or three seasons.

As the cap situation becomes more complicated, the development of players like Lind can give the Canucks the depth required to become more than a fringe playoff team.

And while the Comets got off to a blistering start, that sterling form was really powered by a relatively veteran group of forwards including Baertschi, Goldobin and Boucher. Among forwards on the Comets roster under 23, the Canucks have Lind, Gadjovich and Lukas Jasek.

The Comets are a relatively young team, but their prospect group upfront is relatively old.

All of which adds a level of urgency to Lind’s story. For the Canucks’ rebuilding project to come off, they’re going to need players like Lind to heed the lessons of the Craven Country Jamboree, maximize their potential and develop into useful NHL assets.

The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160835 Vancouver Canucks “He’s a warrior, and he’s amazing at what he does.” Best thread

CHRIS TANEV AND FIGHTING THROUGH INJURIES FOR THE TEAM. The Armies: Baertschi’s redemption, Quinn’s Gucci flex, Tanev the NAME A MORE ICONIC DUO, I'LL WAIT warrior and the case for load management — HARMAN DAYAL (@HARMANDAYAL2) NOVEMBER 8, 2019

SAMI SALO AND A TESTICLE Harman Dayal — AUSTIN WALLACE (@AUSTEANE) NOVEMBER 8, 2019 Nov 8, 2019 ERIC B & RAKIM. JUST SAYIN.

— (((JAY SWING))) (@JAYSWING) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 November has long been the kryptonite for the Vancouver Canucks, and it’s out to test the team’s mettle once more. COCAINE AND YALETOWN BAR WASHROOMS

#CANUCKS IN OCTOBER (POINT %): — JAMES YOUNG (@JAMESPATYOUNG) NOVEMBER 9, 2019

2015/16 – 63.6% CANUCKS AND WALKING BOOTS

2016/17 – 50.0% — ROB (@RLOVSIN17) NOVEMBER 8, 2019

2017/18 – 63.6% WILLIE D AND JAYSON MEGNA

2018/19 – 57.1% — ANDY PER (@ANDYPER16) NOVEMBER 8, 2019

2019-20 – 70.8%#CANUCKS IN NOVEMBER (POINT %): SHANE O'BRIEN AND THE ROXY

2015/16 – 39.3% — OLIVER THOMPSON (@OLIVERATHOMPSON) NOVEMBER 8, 2019 2016/17 – 46.4% ALEX EDLER AND THE DROP PASS 2017/18 – 46.7% — GEOFF (@STATS87) NOVEMBER 8, 2019 2018/19 – 32.1% Best return story 2019-20 – Picture yourself as Sven Baertschi for a moment. You’ve suffered 4 STRAIGHT SUB-50% NOVEMBERS. ROUGH MONTH. another concussion and after this one left you battling anxiety and — S7 (@S7DSN) NOVEMBER 8, 2019 doubting yourself, you get waived and sent down to the AHL.

The Canucks and November have gotten along about as well as Erik “A lot,” Baertschi told reporters when asked how tough of a mental task it Gudbranson and zone-exit attempts. Last season’s stretch sparked a was to rebound from the demotion after all he’d gone through. “It’s one of crippling run in which they dropped 14 of 16 games contests. This year’s those things, the first feeling when I got back to Utica was like, ‘Why am I challenge was expected with the schedule ratcheting up in both travel here again?’ I thought I left the AHL, became an NHL player, but at the and opponent quality and after a scorching start to the season, end of the day, I was going to Utica with the mindset that I am an NHL Vancouver’s now dropped four of its past five games. player. Even going into games now, I just noticed it’s different.

There’s no reason to panic this early and you can certainly cut the “Looking back when I played in the AHL before, I feel like the gap Canucks some slack given that Friday was the second leg of a back-to- between me and the average AHL player wasn’t as big, but now I’m back set, part of a savage three-games-in-four-nights turnaround. going back and it’s easier for me. I really feel that I’m an NHL player, and Vancouver’s performance against the Jets, a 4-1 loss, was a lot better I just noticed it throughout the games.” than the scoresheet might suggest, but as many have aptly put it, this It takes a great degree of perseverance and mental fortitude to bounce coming stretch is the very definition of adversity. back from a crushing 12-month stretch like this, and Baertschi delivered Best warrior on every front. He notched 10 points in seven games with the Utica Comets, but most importantly, it’s the grace and positive attitude with TANEV AS A YOUNG BOY… which Baertschi took a demotion like this that stands out.

“CHRIS, THE STOVE IS HOT. BE CAREFUL.” FIVE WEEKS AFTER HE WAS ONE OF THE #CANUCKS’ FINAL CUTS AT TRAINING CAMP, SVEN BAERTSCHI WILL MAKE HIS SEASON *TANEV TOUCHES STOVE ANYWAY* DEBUT. “SEE? LESSON LEARNED.” HAD A CHANCE TO ASK COMETS COACH TRENT CULL ABOUT HIS *TANEV PUTS OTHER HAND ON STOVE* TIME COACHING BAERTSCHI IN UTICA IN OCTOBER: PIC.TWITTER.COM/JQLSU9B3LE — JASON BROUGH (@JASONBROUGHTSN) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 — THOMAS DRANCE (@THOMASDRANCE) NOVEMBER 8, 2019 Chris Tanev has put his body on the line so many times for the Canucks over the years, and these past two days have really come to personify Baertschi’s return was solid for the most part, and it began with the his sacrifice for the team. He left Thursday night’s game and didn’t return territorial advantage the Canucks held with him on the ice. following a mysterious upper-body injury, but was right back in the lineup The Canucks outshot Winnipeg 19-9 with Baertschi on the ice while Friday night and threw his body in front of a blistering Patrik Laine one- holding a 6-0 edge on the high-danger chances. timer. Baertschi’s best moment was in the second period when he intercepted a You can see Tanev hobbling, barely able to move in that clip following pass and made a nifty move to get a quality chance right on the the block, but he was miraculously back before the second period ended. doorstep. And wouldn’t you know it — he was blocking another shot on his first shift back. The 27-year-old Swiss was confident making plays with the puck on entries and while he didn’t have to do anything exceptional, he ensured “He’s just a savage,” Troy Stecher said to Dan Murphy during Sportsnet’s he made the right pass to prolong possession and create offensive zone second-period intermission. “I can’t say enough good things about him. time. Just as a person he’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. Any time you see one of your teammates do that night after night, you just have so much respect for him. Always elusive and able to find the soft spots in the opposition’s TYLER MYERS TRIBUTE VIDEO. PIC.TWITTER.COM/86HOFNMQHD defensive coverage, Baertschi comfortably held the puck behind the net and then found an open seam in the slot to get a scoring chance. — SCOTT BILLECK (@SCOTTBILLECK) NOVEMBER 9, 2019

It wasn’t all pretty though and you saw at least one valid example of why On a night when Edler struggled, Myers put together a very good game he found himself in Travis Green’s doghouse early this season. Watch to bail out his partner in an arena where he previously spent the better how he makes a poor read and blows the zone early, which leads to a part of four years. three-on-two rush that puts the Canucks shorthanded. We saw Myers sprawl out to make the defensive stop after Edler’s To be clear, Horvat’s at fault for pushing up into the neutral zone and not mistimed pinch. cutting off the initial pass that puts him out of position, but Baertschi also Earlier in the game, Myers used every inch of his 6-foot-8 frame to sprawl needs to stay above Nikolaj Ehlers in that situation so he doesn’t end up out and block a cross-seam pass after a bad giveaway by Edler. on the wrong side of the puck. Myers even recovered well to thwart Nikolaj Ehlers after blowing a tire He also took a tripping penalty, although you could make a case that the (thankfully Ehlers was fine after going into the boards). call was perhaps questionable. The backbreaker Friday’s game really personified whom Baertschi is as a player — someone who isn’t dynamic, but has the vision to set up his teammates Despite what the scoresheet read, the Canucks generally played a pretty and slip into open seams for good looks close to the net, but also a good game. They were strong at even-strength — outshooting and out- forward whose play away from the puck can be spotty. Overall though, I’d chancing the Jets. say the positives outweighed the negatives when considering it was Connor Hellebuyck put together one hell of a game between the pipes Baertschi’s first game back. and the difference was on special teams, where Vancouver’s power-play Best ‘he’s not wrong’ couldn’t even get set up.

Wouldn’t you know it, there’s Loui Eriksson when you reverse the column The game-changing sequence, however, occurred with just over six order. minutes left in the third period. Horvat was robbed by Hellebuyck.

Eriksson’s legs just weren’t moving against the Jets and it began with a The next shift, Myers who had an otherwise great game, gave the puck turnover so lackadaisical that Brian Burke paged Jim Benning to ask if away, which led to the Jets’ third goal. Eriksson can spell the word intense. If Hellubuyck doesn’t rob Horvat, you’re looking at a completely different I counted at least to “Four Mississippi” for Eriksson to retrieve and try game. flipping the loose puck out of the zone. Later, he led one of the least Bro, do your dekes threatening odd-man rushes I’ve seen manifest this season. The Lotto line was easily Vancouver’s best unit again and produced a ton The dagger came late in the second period when Eriksson failed to get a of great chances throughout the game. There’s one play that stood out, puck in deep, which led to a counterattack for the Jets. however, and it didn’t even lead to a scoring chance. That play marked the end of Eriksson’s night — stapled to the bench Elias Pettersson’s gotta pull the trigger on the shot next time, but man is from 4:07 of the second period onward. With a performance like that, I’d that a filthy deke. be surprised if Eriksson doesn’t find himself back in the press box against the Devils on Sunday. Best zinger

The case for load management THEY CALL IT CANUCKS OT DEFENCE

Alex Edler has played an equal part in the success of his top pairing with — CANUCKLEHEAD (@DOUGDDLEE288) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 Tyler Myers — one that’s a legitimate source of strength for the Canucks for most of the early season. If there’s a lingering concern that’s been Best history repeats itself expressed, however, it’s whether Edler would be able to hold up logging Winnipeg’s empty-net goal gave us a scene that looked pretty familiar to heavy minutes and on this back-to-back, you’ve seen some cracks in his the one we saw in overtime against St. Louis. game. Wyatt Arndt: The good news, a Tyler Myers mistake didn’t end up in a ALEXANDER EDLER ROLLS OUT THE RED CARPET, AND JACK three-on-none goal against in this game. The bad news is both events ROSLOVIC TAKES ADVANTAGE, DRIVING THE NET, PICKING UP happened separately and resulted in two goals against. HIS OWN REBOUND, AND TYING THE GAME AT 1.#CANUCKS #GOJETSGO PIC.TWITTER.COM/9SZYMIKXXN Best prospect update

— J.D. BURKE (@JDYLANBURKE) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 I LIKE THIS KID, NO LONGER IN ADAM FOX’S SHADOW AT HARVARD. HIGH END SKILL WITH GREAT SKATING. HAS 5 POINTS You can notice when Edler’s starting to get worn down because his feet IN 5 PLUS PERIODS TO START SEASON. stop moving and you see a prime example of that on the first goal HTTPS://T.CO/AO4TZUJF1D against. Winnipeg’s second marker looked just as bad — Edler unable to move his feet to get to the rebound. — RICK DHALIWAL (@DHALIWALSPORTS) NOVEMBER 9, 2019

The 33-year-old Swede had three bad pinches in the third period that Best back-and-forth each led to odd-man rushes against. TRAINER: THE TOOTH OR LISTEN TO ANOTHER @JDYLANBURKE Edler’s a very effective defenceman, but his lack of speed really gets SEGMENT exposed when he’s not sharp and to me, it goes back to the exorbitant minutes he’s played. Friday against Winnipeg he logged over 25 minutes HUGHES: THE TOOTH… THE TOOTH! on the second half of a back-to-back, playing three games in four nights. — ANDREW WADDEN (@ANDREWWADDEN) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 For the season, Edler’s averaging 25:12 per game, which ranks sixth TFW WADDEN CAN'T GO A HALF-HOUR WITHOUT MENTIONING among all NHL defencemen. Somehow, after substituting Derrick Pouliot, THE LEAFS PIC.TWITTER.COM/UGONFMRPTW Erik Gudbranson and Ben Hutton for Quinn Hughes, Myers and Jordie Benn, Edler is averaging nearly a full minute of ice time more than he did — J.D. BURKE (@JDYLANBURKE) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 last season. Best question Vancouver cannot afford to drive Edler into the ground and with almost an entirely healthy blue line, there’s no excuse for not giving him more For those unaware, Jeff Paterson and Thomas Drance had to change the manageable minutes. name of The Athletic Vancouver’s podcast earlier this week from the Nuckscast to Vancast after the Canucks respectfully requested it be Myers stands tall changed. So when it popped up that JPat and Drance were talking about think style is maybe our way of trying to adapt that into the hockey the “Canucks” it was only natural that the question be asked. culture, kind of expanding what we wear.

IS THIS LEGAL PIC.TWITTER.COM/38WDCSDI81 “Canucks posted a Twitter photo of me wearing no socks in the beginning of the year, and I got a lot of heat for it, but at the same time, — G (@WHOLEGRAINNE) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 no press is bad press,” Stecher laughed.

Best answer That statement of “no press is bad press” will surely get put to the test as WE'RE ACTUALLY TALKING ABOUT VANS. the Canucks try to fight against the narrative of another November HTTPS://T.CO/2KO91HTENR doomsday.

— THOMAS DRANCE (@THOMASDRANCE) NOVEMBER 9, 2019 The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019

Best goalscorer

AS WE GET SET FOR #CANUCKS AT JETS, JUST KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL LIVING IN A WORLD WHERE TIM SCHALLER (4) HAS MORE GOALS THAN PATRIK LAINE (3) THIS SEASON

— JEFF PATERSON (@PATERSONJEFF) NOVEMBER 9, 2019

Why dish out $6.75 million per year for a sniper when you’ve got Tim Schaller?

Best need for a new wardrobe

If there’s one thing you learn about the Canucks when you see them in street clothes, it’s that they’re a pretty style-conscious bunch. You’d naturally assume the youngest on the team are the savviest, yet Brock Boeser laughed when the topic of style came up, calling Hughes’ fashion sense “awful.”

“Yeah we actually do,” Troy Stecher laughed when asked about whether the boys give Hughes a hard time for his fashion. “I don’t know if you heard he has like on Tiger Woods T-shirt that he seems to wear like every day.”

The shirt is a gem that Dan Murphy unearthed in October on a game day against the Devils.

FORGET HUGHES VS HUGHES FOR A MOMENT AND PLEASE CHECK OUT QUINN’S SHIRT. #CANUCKS PIC.TWITTER.COM/IVUJOIF6QF

— DAN MURPHY (@SPORTSNETMURPH) OCTOBER 18, 2019

“There’s like that and a different shirt, but it was on the plane after the San Jose game, he didn’t play obviously and we all felt bad and we’re like all worried about him, he’s a phenom and a stud,” Stecher said. “But he was wearing a Gucci tie that day and I noticed it, and I was like, ‘Quinn is that a Gucci tie?’ He looked down and he’s like, ‘Yeah’ and he smiled.

“I was like, ‘Oh you have enough money to like buy a tie, but you can’t buy an extra T-shirt?’ He wears that same stupid Tiger shirt … like it’s a sick piece, but it looks like he woke up out of it, sleeps in it, hasn’t washed it.”

Hughes couldn’t help but laugh when the topic of the shirt came up. “It was a shirt I saw on Barstool, so we got it and yeah I just wear it sometimes,” Hughes said. “It’s a funny shirt, I like it and Tiger’s the man.”

“In all fairness, I was the same way,” Stecher said. “I remember my first year on the team, Sbisa grabbed me and was like, ‘Stech, we’re going shopping today’ and I was like, ‘OK, what are we going shopping for?’ and he’s like, ‘We gotta change your style, you’re not in college anymore, it’s time to be a pro,’ it was like oh my god.

“He’s just young, he’ll learn. It doesn’t look bad either, it’s just guys here I think pride themselves on looking like professionals, acting like professionals and a lot of that goes into what you wear and how you present yourself with confidence.”

On the opposite side of the spectrum, you have the veteran Swedes who are always runway ready.

“Loui (Eriksson) and Eddie (Edler) for sure look flawless every single time they wear a suit,” Stecher said. “Eddie never has a hair out of place. I’m pretty big into what I try to wear, I try to create a style of my own, Virt’s (Virtanen) pretty similar in that way, he likes to spend some money on clothes.

“I think a lot of it too is that the NHL is so old school, you look at the NBA or the NFL and I think they showcase their individual players a lot more with like what they’re interested in and what they do away from the field. I 1160836 Websites A few weeks ago before a game at Tampa Bay, Crosby met with 46 of the 70 living Medal of Honor recipients. Days later, while in Minnesota, he was still talking about some of their stories.

The Athletic / Veteran’s move: Why Sidney Crosby gave away the car he One included a medical attendant tasked with dropping into a battle and won as MVP of 2019 NHL All-Star Game treating fallen soldiers. As he recalled that tale, Crosby’s voice lowered and his lips pursed. A few seconds later, as if to break up the silence between him and a couple of reporters, Crosby lauded how “incredible” it was to meet that man. Rob Rossi Told “they don’t make ’em like that anymore” by one of the reporters, Nov 8, 2019 Crosby did not hesitate to disagree.

“They do,” he said. “You meet those people, and they’re all that way: Do It felt freezing in Pittsburgh on Friday. Storm clouds blocked out the sun. what they have to, whatever they’re asked. They don’t think anything of A thin coating of snow stuck to the grass. Wind gusted at up to 14 mph. it.

For early November, the conditions were harsh. “That’s special.”

For Madeline Malizio, the wait outside for public transportation from the As a kid in Cole Harbor, Nova Scotia, Crosby had school projects that Lemieux Sports Complex would actually have been a cold slap to the often focused on Canadian military veterans. His aunt worked at a face. After all, she had been invited by the Penguins to their practice veterans hospital, where he would talk with men and women who had facility along with nine other military veterans. served.

She had known tougher times than waiting for the bus in the cold, of He developed a curiosity for military strategy. He has taken a class on course. the topic and still educates himself by reading books. “The history of it” appeals to him, but Crosby said that learning about military history is A military kid, Malizio spent her childhood shifting around the country. probably his way of “showing appreciation” for the work and sacrifices of She mostly remembered moving from Florida to Pittsburgh and back and veterans. then joining the Army while in the Sunshine State. Stationed at Fort Campbell along the Kentucky-Tennessee border, Malizio, an Army “Knowing what they do, what they did, what it took,” Crosby said. “On top specialist, was injured in an aerial drill. She returned to Pittsburgh to be of that, I think the camaraderie and everything that comes with being in near her father, who works at the 911th Airlift Wing. the military — and, you know, early on having that personal relationship with some veterans, I think that’s probably made for a lifelong interest in Now a single mother raising 3 1/2-year-old Maverick, Malizio is a student them for me.” at the Community College of Allegheny County. She gets to campus the same way she arrived at the Lemieux Sports Complex: asking for a ride Crosby spoke Friday of Remembrance Day ceremonies from his or by the bus. childhood in Nova Scotia and a 9/11 memorial service when he attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s boarding school in Minnesota. He described And that was how she planned to head home Friday. welcoming Western Pennsylvania military families to the Penguins’ dressing room after morning skates. He declined to discuss specifics, but Only, Sidney Crosby would have none of it. not because everything had blurred together after all the years. Not long after meeting Malizio and her son after a Penguins practice, He reasoned that some things should remain private. Crosby walked them toward a garage that normally houses the facility’s Zamboni machines. Obviously, giving a veteran a vehicle isn’t one of those things. But after their time together Friday afternoon, Crosby tried to distract Maverick “We were basically walking and he was telling me how he heard about while the boy’s mother took an unexpected star turn in front of television my story and that he wanted to do something to help my situation,” cameras. Malizio said. “And I was a little confused. Like, I couldn’t think for a second. ‘What could he be talking about?’” The spotlight should be on a real hero, not somebody who just happens to be the world’s most famous hockey player. As the garage door opened, Crosby couldn’t keep from smiling. He asked Malizio to turn around. By this point, a screaming Maverick already had. Malizio arrived at Lemieux Sports Complex with the other veterans and When his mother did likewise, she “felt weak in the knees” and unsure of what to expect other than meeting some Penguins players. “speechless.” Instead, she and the other veterans were presented with customized jerseys — the same yellow ones the Penguins were to wear against the “I don’t think there’s really a word to put to it,” Malizio said. Chicago Blackhawks in Pittsburgh on Saturday night. Technically, Malizio’s Veteran’s Day gift — a red Honda CR-V — had Malizio and those veterans were given tickets to that game. When that never belonged to Crosby. He won a new car from Honda for being happened Friday, her thoughts turned to how she and Maverick would selected MVP at the 2019 NHL All-Star Game, but he never collected the get to PPG Paints Arena. Public transit runs on a limited schedule on prize. weekends, and that could have been a problem. No surprise there. Crosby arrived in Pittsburgh as a rookie in 2005 with a It won’t be one now. Malizio has Crosby’s car to get her and Maverick to black SUV. If he could, he would drive it to his eventual statue ceremony a Penguins game and anywhere else they need to go. at PPG Paints Arena. Bring on that early winter weather. She’s got this covered. Also, though, Crosby had figured when he won the vehicle from Honda that somebody else might actually need it. And, well, his famous patience The Athletic LOADED: 11.10.2019 extends off the ice, too.

For Malizio, a somewhat new hockey fan, Friday provided a personal look at something Crosby’s done almost every game since joining the Penguins: He created something out of nothing, set somebody up, and came through in the clutch.

Crosby’s interest in the military — and especially his fondness for veterans — could easily go unnoticed. He would prefer not to discuss publicly the many times he has met veterans, either through the Penguins or on his own. Even Friday, he hesitated to have media present for his meeting with Malizio and Maverick; Crosby asked for media to observe from off to the side of the garage while he spent about 20 minutes walking around or sitting in the vehicle with Malizio and Maverick. 1160837 Websites Matthews later admitted he was attempting an Andrei Svechnikov–style lacrosse goal from behind the net and only fed his wingman after the puck slipped off his flattened blade.

Sportsnet.ca / Loss to Flyers secondary as Leafs await diagnosis of “It was close,” Nylander said. Marner's injury “But it ended up right on my tape, so it was nice.”

A thrilling, seesaw overtime brimming with open looks, clanged posts and Luke Fox odd-man rushes solved nothing, unless you count boredom.

November 9, 2019, 10:28 PM “You really want to get that extra point, especially with how hard we worked to get back in that situation,” Matthews said.

Nylander scored in the skills contest, but Claude Giroux (fully cocked TORONTO – The outcome of Saturday’s game suddenly became less slapshot) and Sean Couturier (slick deke) countered with daggers as important than the outcome of the diagnosis. Flyers-Leafs required more than 65 minutes for a second straight Saturday. When Mitchell Marner got tangled up with Carsen Twarynski during a centre-ice face-off in the second period, his left skate stepped on the Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman talk to a lot of people around the hockey Flyer’s blade and slid out abruptly. As a result, Marner’s right foot twisted world, and then they tell listeners all about what they’ve heard and what violently, injuring his ankle to an extent that he had to hobble and crawl to they think about it. the Toronto Maple Leafs’ bench, where he was fished up by his teammates. The urgency to fill Marner’s spot in the lineup — Does Jason Spezza climb down from the press box? Does Kyle Dubas recall a body from the Marner tried to participate in one more shift but crumpled when his foot Marlies? — kicks in immediately as the Maple Leafs quickly packed their couldn’t bear weight. The high-flying winger’s attempt to test out his ankle gear and hopped a charter to Chicago on Saturday night. during a TV timeout only resulted in a conversation with trainer Paul Ayotte, a return to the medical table, and an announcement that he was Tired and banged up, the Maple Leafs will take on the Blackhawks done for the night. without their leading point-producer of the past two seasons, their premier passer, their power-play maestro, and their penalty-killing water He won’t travel to Chicago for Sunday’s game. bug.

“You never know what the situation is or what’s really going on in his What do the Maple Leafs miss when you subtract Marner from the body and in his mind,” said Auston Matthews, before vocalizing what an equation? entire fan base is thinking. “Really, the heartbeat of our locker room,” Tavares said recently. “His “I just hope he’s OK.” attitude on a daily basis, the work ethic he brings, and the amount of fun he has.”= Marner’s injury — severity unknown — comes as uneasy news to Leaf Nation, who has yet to watch its top line skate in full and, as a result, is Minutes before boarding a charter, Babcock — winner of 700 games — getting antsy to see what the NHL’s most expensive complement of found himself at a loss. forwards can accomplish at peak health. “Well, I mean, what are you going to do?” the coach said. “It’s hockey. Dashing salt in the wound with salt was a 3-2 Philadelphia Flyers Injuries happen and you find out more about other guys. I don’t know the shootout victory at Scotiabank Arena before the Leafs hit the road for extent of this. I don’t know if it’s a few days or weeks or whatever. eight of their next nine contests. “There’s no sense on dwelling on it. Someone else gets an opportunity. After a mediocre October, the Leafs have gained traction since the return Let’s go.” of Marner’s centreman, John Tavares, from a broken finger and now have points in four straight. Expecting first-line left wing Zach Hyman Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.10.2019 (knee) back sometime next week, Toronto had appeared to be straightening its defensive game and its bill of health simultaneously.

A reminder of that was defenceman Travis Dermott (off-season shoulder surgery) jumping up in the play shortly after Marner went down, taking a pretty feed from William Nylander and joyously sniping his first goal in just his fifth game of the season.

“That was pretty much the exact same spot I scored my first goal, so nice little flashback there,” Dermott said.

“From Willy too, so that was awesome. It gets the adrenalin going even more than it usually is, so it’s nice to see the boys getting excited for you like that and definitely makes you feel right back in it.”

“I can hear him screaming from the blue line,” Matthews smiled. “He’s a really passionate guy. Loves to score, loves to win, a really good teammate, so I’m really happy for him to get that first one.”

Alas, Toronto had dug itself an 0-2 hole by that point.

Philadelphia defender Philippe Myers opened the scoring in Period 1, lasering a high shot over Frederik Andersen’s blocker that zipped out as fast as it flung in.

Philly’s leading goal-getter, Oskar Lindblom, struck next, niftily deflecting a wide Travis Konecny shot into the roof of Andersen’s cage on the power play.

But, as is so often the case this fall, Toronto roped its opponent back in after surrendering an early lead.

With the bench shortened and Leafs wingers seeing extra shifts in the third, Nylander scored his fifth off a pretty backhand feed from Auston Matthews to knot the game at two goals apiece. 1160838 Websites But you know what the six-foot-three, 225-pounder enjoyed even more? "It’s so much fun playing beside him,” Chiarot said.

"He moves the puck so efficiently, and he’s been doing it for so long. He Sportsnet.ca / Shea Weber's game trending up with huge contributions to knows where the puck needs to go. There’s very few hiccups or Canadiens win turnovers; it’s on his stick, and it’s to our forward, and we’re out of the zone pretty quickly. He’s really predictable for a partner to read off.”

Eric Engels When Weber’s doing it right, that’s what he does for whomever he lines up with. November 10, 2019, 12:23 AM When Weber’s doing it with Chiarot—like he did against Los Angeles, and like he did earlier this week in a virtuoso shutdown performance against Boston’s remarkable line of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron MONTREAL — Here’s how Shea Weber characterized a play that saw and David Pastrnak—there’s a ripple effect throughout Montreal’s him score by one-timing a puck at full force after it lobbed its way back to defensive corps. his stick off a first shot that hit Los Angeles Kings defenceman Matt Roy in front of goaltender Jonathan Quick: On this night, it allowed Brett Kulak and Cale Fleury, who have 179 games of NHL experience between them, to play the majority of their “(You) get lucky once in a while, I guess,” he said. shifts against third- and fourth-liners. It also allowed Jeff Petry, who leads It’s fair to say it was lucky the puck caromed off Roy and found Weber’s the Canadiens in average ice-time, to breathe a little easier against the wheelhouse after travelling to a height of 15 feet—and a distance of Kings. roughly 25 feet. But it was anything but lucky that Weber was able to slap "I think just getting to play against the second and third lines, you have a it out of the air for what turned out to be the 100th power-play goal of his bit more leeway to play offence,” said regular Weber partner Victor Mete, illustrious career. who skated on a pair with Petry on Saturday. "It’s a big benefit.” Here’s something else that had little to do with luck: Weber, paired with The Canadiens are benefiting from just about everything Weber’s doing Ben Chiarot on the evening, held the Kings’ best line of Tyler Toffoli, now. Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter to zero quality scoring chances at 5-on-5. There were some rough patches last season after he came back towards Sure, those guys got a couple while other Canadiens players were on the the end of November from rehabbing off-season surgeries to both of his ice, but none of them came against Weber and Chiarot. legs, just as there were some tough times for him at this start of the It’s pretty much the biggest reason the Canadiens skated away from 2019-20 campaign. But his game is going in the right direction. Saturday’s game with a 3-2 win and two more valuable points in the That’s boils down to Weber’s natural ability, his tireless work ethic and bank—improving their record to 9-5-3. his focus much more than it does luck. Weber also made another valuable contribution in scoring one more Those are the things that netted him that incredible goal that opened the (power-play) goal to bring his total on the season to five. scoring on Saturday. Through 17 games, he now has 13 points. It’s something the Canadiens’ "As soon as it got blocked I (knew I) was shooting it,” Weber said. captain is certainly proud of. "I wanted to make it… I just wanted to get some shots through at the But Weber said after Saturday’s game that he’s most pleased about the start, and then hopefully the rest of the stuff could open up for the power progress he’s been steadily making on the defensive end, where the play. Obviously the first one got blocked and I didn’t expect it to bounce Canadiens need him most. so high, but I knew it was coming back in my direction and I was like, ‘I’m "Since I’ve come into the league, I’ve taken a lot of pride in shutting guys just shooting it again.’” down,” said the 34-year-old veteran of 14 NHL seasons. "Especially top "Obviously, I was able to time it pretty well.” guys in the league.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.10.2019 It’s a part of the game Weber struggled with considerably through Montreal’s first six contests of the season. He had been on the ice for seven of the 15 goals the team had allowed at even strength and 14 of the 23 Montreal had allowed on the whole. To say he was frustrated about that would be understating it.

"It’s just like anything when things snowball in a direction, when things aren’t going well. You end up trying to do more (than you should),” he said.

"You try harder and it just makes it worse, I guess. You’re just trying to do more and it ends up going in the wrong direction.”

And then the tide turns as it has over the last few weeks.

Weber was on the ice for 60 per cent of the goals the Canadiens had allowed through six games, but he’s only been on the ice for 40 per cent of them over the last 11 games.

"Things start clicking, and then you start building off of that and it snowballs in the other direction,” Weber explained. "Things start to naturally fit in their place.”

Like a puck landing on your stick right as you’re following through with one of the NHL’s most dangerous shots.

It was only natural that Weber’s 100th power-play goal would come in this fashion. Just like it was on the one-timer that gave him his 101st, which was the 208th goal of his career—putting him in a tie with former Canadiens legend Larry Robinson for the 19th-most goals in league history by a defenceman.

"When he winds up to take a slapshot, the Red Sea parts,” said Chiarot, who took great delight in watching Weber do what he does best. 1160839 Websites Calgary’s heart and soul (and future captain?) Matthew Tkachuk unsurprisingly helped kick them into gear on Saturday, scoring their first goal and cutting St. Louis’ 2-0 lead in half. It was the eighth time Tkachuk had scored in either the third period or overtime this season, a clutch stat Sportsnet.ca / Flames can take away key lessons from Blues in OT loss he leads the league in, and Calgary looked like a totally different team than they did in the first two periods.

Sam Bennett searched for a little retribution from an earlier hit by Rory Boylen MacKenzie MacEachern, levelling the Blues winger by the benches and November 10, 2019, 2:37 AM raising the tension. The post-whistle scrum that followed resulted in a couple of penalties and some 4-on-4 hockey. And from that came an aggressive forecheck from the Flames’ Travis Hamonic and the game- tying goal. The No. 1 issue that has been established about these Calgary Flames one quarter of the way into the 2019-20 season has been their lack of Rough stuff up close. #HockeyNight pic.twitter.com/v0N6sfPdIs consistency. — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 10, 2019 Too often the Flames have started slow, or been two versions of themselves in a single game. At times, they’ve looked like something It was another great comeback that provided an exciting finish and a close to the team that finished atop the Pacific Division last year, but well-earned point in the standings, but when the Blues scored in most of the time they’ve been unfinished. overtime, the more deserving team won the game.

Flames coach Bill Peters has called his team out on this more than once The Blues were tough on both sides of the puck all night, but in already, saying after Tuesday’s win against the Arizona Coyotes “We desperate moments Calgary had at least shown it was capable of have to start playing for each other, playing the right way. I don’t think countering. Had the Flames matched St. Louis’ compete or polish from we’re doing that right now. I don’t see that. If we are, I’m missing it.” the start, and shown what they did in the final 10 minutes of the third all game long, then perhaps they’d be celebrating two points. Calgary became the first NHL team to play its 20th game this season and their 10-7-3 record has them in a deceiving second place. The better Possessing this ability to fight back is never a bad thing, but having to divisional accomplishments have come from the upstart Vancouver rely on it too often is not indicative of season-long success. In the end, Canucks and Edmonton Oilers. The Flames’ .575 points percentage puts the home side should be happy to have earned a point against the them behind their two Canadian rivals, plus Arizona and the Vegas champs, but St. Louis showed the standard Calgary is still working Golden Knights in the Pacific. Their level of play thus far has been that of towards. a playoff bubble team. “We’re getting better here as we go. There’s lots of good things. Lots of The Flames escaped their Saturday night meeting against the defending things that we can still work on and clean up and just tighten up a little Stanley Cup champions with a point, losing 3-2 in OT. But we have to bit,” Peters said. “It’s heading in the right direction.” wonder if a more polished effort could have resulted in more. On the one QUICK HITS hand, the fire and desperation Calgary showed toward the end of the game is a good quality for a team to have, but on the other, had they • Andrew Mangiapane was put on the second line earlier this week and started with that same emotion against a team at the tail end of a western looked like a fit there Saturday. He had a great primary assist on Canadian road swing, the result could have been better. Tkachuk’s goal and that trio (with Mikael Backlund) was Calgary’s best line of the night and the only one that controlled possession. When that THE BIG TAKEAWAY line was on the ice at 5-on-5, Calgary earned roughly 70 per cent of the If the Flames are still learning about “playing for each other” and what shots on goal. that really means or looks like, they should walk away with some notes • David Rittich was fantastic again, stopping 25 of 28 shots, but his from the Blues. It took St. Louis three long months to figure that out last workload is going to be in the spotlight as we move forward. Rittich has season, but once they did, they were on a track to the Stanley Cup. Now started a league-leading 16 games, which puts him on track for 66 starts they look like a team that could repeat in 2020. this season. As we know, that’s not ideal for today’s goalie. The trouble is St. Louis’ tenacious forechecking and the way they glue themselves to that Calgary is chasing the top of their division right now, which will make the puck carrier in the defensive end makes for a relentless, exhausting it hard for them to find a way to sit their first quarter MVP. But it’s got to presence in all three zones. Closing out a four-game road trip (without start happening. superstar Vladimir Tarasenko), no one would have batted an eye if the • David Perron scored the overtime winner, which continued a great Blues had a “foot off the pedal” kind of game, but they rose to their stretch for him. That was his third OT goal in the past seven games and competition. St. Louis was the much better team in the first period, and he leads the league with five game-winning goals. The 31-year-old is on even as the Flames started to push back somewhat in the second, the a point-per-game pace so far this season. Blues still walked out of it with an advantage in scoring chances at 5-on-5 and the period’s only goal — which came on the power play. • These are the games where you need your best players to stand out, but Johnny Gaudreau was notably unable to get much going. In 21:52 of Very few things come easy against St. Louis’ “heavy hockey.” They are ice time, he recorded just one shot on goal with seven giveaways. Part of organized and very well put together — this is exactly the sort of team that is due to him just having the puck on his stick a lot, but it’s also effort Peters is desiring. because he had quite a few failed plays against St. Louis’ tough defence. “I think you can learn from a game like this,” the coach said after. “I think When Gaudreau was on the ice at 5-on-5, Calgary earned just 38 per there was times where we spent a little more time in the D zone than we cent of the shots. wanted to and we weren’t clean breaking out. You gotta be able to break Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.10.2019 out on the first opportunity against good teams. And they wear you out.”

The Flames looked outmatched when they trailed 2-0 after two periods, but just like last season, Calgary is again one of the best third-period teams in the league. That’s not a bad thing. They have 24 goals in the third so far this season, second-most in the league, and have the fifth- best winning percentage when trailing after two periods. You can’t ever count them out. These are all good traits to have.

But even the teams that are the best at playing from behind have a losing record in these situations. Sure, Calgary has an impressive three wins in games they’ve trailed after 40 minutes of play, but they’ve also lost six times in regulation. You don’t want to be chasing your opponents all the time. 1160840 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Kade Foster gets blue-and-white birthday surprise from Maple Leafs

Sportsnet Staff

November 9, 2019, 3:07 PM

Less than a week after he sparked a social-media outpouring of love from #HockeyTwitter, Kade Foster got a re-do of his 11th birthday party.

Foster’s father, Jason, reached out to the Twitterverse on behalf of his son last Sunday, tweeting that the newly minted 11-year-old was forced to celebrate his birthday without any of his friends.

The tweet triggered an avalanche of responses, with everyone from Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares to Star Wars alum Mark Hamill — and more than 50,000 others — offering birthday wishes to the young Leafs fan.

On Saturday, the Maple Leafs ensured Foster’s 11th birthday would be a memorable one for a different reason, as the club and Air Canada flew the Foster family to Toronto for a blue-and-white birthday surprise.

Kade

We’ve got some very special guests in the house for morning skate!#LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Gfc3Ai8fNB

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 9, 2019

During a first-period break in the action between the Leafs and Philadelphia Flyers, Foster was presented with a birthday cake and the crowd serenaded him with the “Happy birthday” song.

Foster also met with the Leafs players in the dressing room before the game.

A special birthday celebration #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/hOsZmgS5eP

— Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) November 9, 2019

The Saturday afternoon meeting was a reunion of sorts for Foster and Tavares, as the Maple Leafs star also made the effort to reach out to the young birthday boy by phone earlier this week.

“It was awesome. I was so surprised, I couldn’t believe it,” Foster said of his call with Tavares, according to NHL.com’s Dave McCarthy.

“His birthday was officially on Monday so I called him on Monday to wish him a happy birthday, and we kind of organized a plan to bring him [to Toronto],” Tavares said of how the plan came together. “It was good to just call and say ‘happy birthday’ and let him know what kind of a big surprise was coming.

“We wanted to try to do something to give him something to celebrate and be happy about.”

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.10.2019 1160841 Websites "It's been, obviously, a bit frustrating," he admitted, "but we're starting to string some games together here so that’s the most important thing and I think when it gets down to it I'll be able to contribute when I really need to." TSN.CA / Tyson Barrie on slow start: 'I wish I had the answers for it' Mitch Marner believes Barrie will play a "massive" role once he's fully integrated.

Mark Masters "It's just trying to get him his own freedom right now," Marner said, "trying to get him in that zone that he can play at and feel comfortable with the

puck and making his plays. I think everyone, when they first come in here TSN Toronto reporter Mark Masters checks in daily with news and notes they rush plays, it takes a little bit of time to get comfortable with our on the Maple Leafs. The Maple Leafs and Flyers skated at Scotiabank system and everything like that and as soon as he does it, he’s going to Arena ahead of Saturday's game. get right back into the mix of 60-odd-point guy."

Tyson Barrie doesn't look anything like the aggressive player who "We feel he's gotten better and better," said Babcock. "We really feel our averaged 0.76 points per game over his last two seasons in Colorado. pairs are starting to come, all three of them. Pairs take longer – I believe – than lines, just because you've got to know the nuances of one another "It's different switching teams," Barrie said, "and switching systems and and feel it out and learn what you can do for one another to make each coaches and the whole thing so you're just trying to feel it out a little bit other better. Obviously, he's going in the right direction, just like our and I'm still feeling some teammates out and trying to get some team." chemistry going and it's tough. I wish I had the answers for it." "He's been a big part of our team in the locker room so far," added After eight years with the Avalanche organization, the transition to Marner. "He's still doing a lot for us when he is on the ice creating space Toronto has been anything but smooth on the ice. Barrie, who posted 59 and time for forwards up front and that first outlet pass is always on the points in 78 games last season, admits he's still struggling to adapt to a tape. He's been great for us still even though the points haven't come new style of play. and it’s going to come eventually."

"With the way that we're playing and the structure that we have, we're not Barrie on slow start with Leafs: 'I wish I had the answers for it' saying, ‘Don’t jump in,' but it's certainly not fully roaming around in the O- zone or anything like that," the 28-year-old explained. "So I'm just trying Tyson Barrie is an aggressive player. With the Avalanche, he was always to play responsible defensively and kind of figure out where I fit in. I got up in the rush, helping Nathan MacKinnon and company rack up big to join the rush as opposed to leading it which is, I think, a good thing so numbers. The Leafs are also loaded with high-end offensive talent, but I'm just trying to jump in and find the hole for the late guy." after eight years in Colorado, the transition for Barrie has been anything but smooth. Mark Masters has more. Barrie has just five points, all assists, in 17 games this season and only one in the last 14 games. ---

Through 17 games last season, Barrie already had 14 points. Since the calendar flipped to November, Frederik Andersen has been locked in, stopping 98 of 103 shots (.951 save percentage) while posting "I just think the biggest thing is getting comfortable with the players, three straight wins. getting comfortable with the coach, getting comfortable with the environment we have here in Toronto," said Mike Babcock with a smile "It definitely felt like the puck was following me around," Andersen will peering at the big media contingent. "Then, just realizing it gets back confirmed after Thursday's 37-save win against Vegas. "It's a good to being simple, simple and competing and everything will work out for feeling." you." Andersen has a .927 career save percentage in November making it, What's the biggest difference between Babcock and Avalanche coach statistically, his best month. Jared Bednar? In the showdown against Philadelphia last Saturday, Andersen stopped "They're very different coaches," Barrie observed, "but both respected three shots off the stick of James van Riemsdyk while also denying his and good at their jobs. I think Mike's a little more, you know, he knows former teammate in the shootout. There's a good reason why Andersen exactly what he wants and how to do it and just trying to figure that out a seems to have JvR's number. little bit." "I was actually out there for like four days this summer shooting on him Last season, Barrie quarterbacked Colorado's top power play unit when he came to work with (Leafs goalie coach) Stevie Briere in spending more than four minutes a night on the man advantage. This Minnesota," van Riemsdyk revealed. "So, I think I unleashed just about season, he's at 2:19 per game on the power play. every move I had on him there so I was trying to go with something a little bit different and he got the better of me ... he's so big and so athletic "I think the biggest change for him, for sure, is the puck touches on the for being that size and he reads the game really well too so he's got all No. 1 power play," said Babcock. "You've been that your whole career, those things going for him. He's certainly one of the harder guys to score suddenly you don't get to go out on the power play and, if the (No. 1) on in the league." power play’s good ... if they score you don't even get to go out. So, you think about that, that's where you got all your feel, now you've got to After failing to hit the scoresheet in the first seven games of the season, reinvent yourself a little bit." van Riemsdyk is heating up with eight points (four goals, four assists) in his last eight games. TSN Hockey analyst Ray Ferraro joins OverDrive to discuss the Leafs’ power play troubles and why Tyson Barrie should get a chance to Leafs Ice Chips: Does red-hot Andersen know all JvR's moves? quarterback it to help spark some offense both special teams wise and to James van Riemsdyk has been heating up, recording eight points in his help him find his game. last eight games, but last week in a shootout loss to his former team, he After averaging 2.8 shots per game last season, Barrie is down to 2.3 so was held off the scoresheet. JvR had three shots on net and a shootout far this year. He only registered three shots on net in the last three attempt in that game, but could not get one past Frederik Andersen. As it games. turns out, there's a reason why Andersen may have a good book on JvR beyond having shared a locker room with him for a few years. Mark "That's going to be a big focus, trying to get some more pucks through," Masters has more. Barrie said. "I've had a couple blocked the last few games, I've been a bit frustrated. There are certainly things that I need to adjust to a little bit, but --- then, when I do get chances and get an opportunity to get it through I got The Flyers get another shot at Andersen tonight and the Leafs will get to do a better job too." another look at Brian Elliott even though Carter Hart has started and won With the Leafs winning a season-high three straight games, Barrie feels the last two games. like some pressure has been lifted off his shoulders. How does coach Alain Vigneault determine his goalie rotation? "It has changed drastically throughout the years where a No. 1 goalie Moore would play 70 games, went down to 60 and now you’re almost looking at sharing the load, because the game is so quick and high-paced," the ^ Placeholder for Kapanen, who worked with the PK Flyers coach said. "So, we've got two guys (and) there's some good After lonely birthday party tweet goes viral, 11-year-old meets Leafs internal, competition, there's obviously performance-based (decisions) but Carter had the last two games and we're playing back-to-back so 11-year-old Kade Foster, who went viral this week after his dad posted a tonight will be Brian and tomorrow will be Carter." photo on Twitter explaining that none of his son's friends showed up to his birthday party, was invited by the Maple Leafs to attend tonight's Elliott stopped 23 of 26 shots last Saturday and then made nine more game against the Flyers following an outpouring of support on social saves in a marathon 11-round shootout. media. Before the game, the players explain how great it was to meet After the first period, the Flyers dominated last week's game, outshooting Kade. the Leafs 35-14 over the final 45 minutes. Flyers lines at Saturday's morning skate:

"A lot of times when you catch a team on back-to-back games you need van Riemsdyk - Giroux - Farabee your goaltender to help you out a little bit and our goaltender did just that," Vigneault said. "He helped us get our legs, find a little bit of rhythm Lindblom - Couturier - Konecny and momentum. They're not catching us on back-to-back games tonight Twarynski - Hayes - Voracek so hopefully we’ll be real good right off the start." Andreoff - Raffl - Pitlick "The two games since then they've been unreal," noted Babcock. "They're playing good, they're playing fast, they've got three good lines, Provorov - Niskanen they've got six good D, they come at you. I like the way they play. I liked them in the second and third period in our game. I thought we were Gostisbehere - Braun better in the first, I thought they were better than us in the majority of that Sanheim - Myers game from that point on. I've really liked their two games leading up. They played two hard-working, fast teams in Montreal and Carolina. So, Elliott starts they're obviously playing good and look like they have a good hockey club." Hart

--- TSN.CA LOADED: 11.10.2019

Travis Dermott played less than nine minutes against the Golden Knights on Thursday night. It was the defenceman's fourth game since returning from off-season shoulder surgery.

"He's got to earn the confidence of [assistant coach Dave Hakstol], he's got to earn his own confidence," said Babcock. "He's got to sort things out good and what you guys see and what we see are obviously different ... he's doing a good job and going in the right direction. We like what (Justin) Holl has done, we like who Dermy is, now we've got to get him to that. Anybody who has missed any time, as you can see, it's a hard league."

After picking up 700th win, Babcock says key is constantly trying to reinvent himself

After picking up the 700th win of his coaching career Thursday night against the Golden Knights, Mike Babcock discusses the milestone and sheds light on the biggest challenges of coaching in today's NHL.

---

Leafs lines at Saturday's morning skate:

Johnsson - Matthews - Nylander

Moore - Tavares - Marner

Mikheyev - Kerfoot - Kapanen

Timashov - Shore - Gauthier

Hyman, Spezza

Rielly - Ceci

Muzzin - Barrie

Dermott - Holl

Marincin

Andersen starts

Hutchinson

Leafs power play units at Saturday's morning skate:

Rielly

Marner - Tavares - Matthews

Johnsson

Barrie

Spezza^ - Kerfoot - Nylander 1160842 Websites “It's just trying to get him his own freedom right now,” said Mitch Marner about Barrie. “He's always been a great guy. He's always talkative on the ice and he's one of the talkative guys in the room so it's good to have another guy like that and it's fun to go back and forth with each other.” TSN.CA / Toronto Maple Leafs recent success goes deeper than just one guy “I think the more [talking] the better, he’s gotta keep giving guys a hard time,” added Tavares. “It's just about guys coming together, getting to know each other personally and building that trust and that chemistry. More and more [those new guys are] just fitting in and feeling more like Kristen Shilton themselves and comfortable in their own skin.”

As a team, the Leafs are trying to do the same thing, and continuing TORONTO – The first thing Maple Leafs’ head coach Mike Babcock establishing what their identity will truly be this season. It’s early yet to would say about his team’s current season-long three-game win streak is say whether this strong start to November is a true turning point Toronto that goaltender Frederik Andersen has been terrific. But also that can hang its hat on going forward, but it’s at least shown the Leafs how Toronto’s run of success goes deeper than any individual contribution. they need to keep evolving to win games.

“I just like the fact that our guys seem to be enjoying each other more “No question we want to dictate the terms [of a game] and have the and getting to know each other better,” said Babcock after the Leafs’ momentum as much as we can and be able to turn the momentum morning skate on Saturday, ahead of facing the Philadelphia Flyers. “We around,” Tavares said. “Be able to defend well, not give second and third have more energy as a group, seem to be playing better. We’ve been opportunities and have to put too much stress on our goaltending to have good in all three games at time. So staying the course and not getting in to really step up many times throughout a game. It's just having that your own way would be the big key.” momentum, when you don't have it and finding ways to get it back.”

If the Leafs have played well at points in every November game, Maple Leafs projected lineup vs. Philadelphia Andersen has been great in them all, starting with how he put Toronto on Moore-Tavares-Marner his back last Saturday to come from behind and beat Philadelphia in a shootout. The Leafs' starter has already played more minutes than any Johnsson-Matthews-Nylander goalie in the league this month (187:31), and has the eighth-best save percentage (.951 per cent) and ninth-best goals-against average (1.60) in Mikheyev-Kerfoot-Kapanen that stretch. Timashov-Shore-Gauthier After backstopping Toronto to their most recent win, a 2-1 overtime Rielly-Ceci decision against Vegas on Thursday, Andersen identified the team’s recent Halloween party as an important bonding experience. It’s perhaps Muzzin-Barrie not a coincidence then that since building stronger relationships off the ice, the Leafs have yet to lose on it. Dermott-Holl

“I think [that bonding] was huge, especially with as many new faces as Andersen starts we've had this year,” said John Tavares. “Get everyone together, get to Hutchinson know each other, have some good moments, some things to banter about in the locker room afterwards and get on each other's case about. TSN.CA LOADED: 11.10.2019 Those things are crucial in building the chemistry in here, so you want to take advantage of those key things."

That’s not to say that simply hanging out has been the remedy to Toronto’s early-season struggles, which has included falling out of a playoff spot for a spell and losing five tightly-contested one-goal games that were not unlike the tilts they’ve most recently won over Philadelphia and Vegas.

But in a year where momentum has been at a premium, finding some stable ground to grow from is a welcome change.

“When you're able to get results and win some of those tight hockey games, and find ways to win [by getting] momentum back or [when] certain things aren't going as well [is big],” said Tavares. “And then when you do good things, you build that identity and confidence and figure out how we're going to win hockey games and how we're going to continue to get better. Everyone kind of feels more comfortable in their role and contributing to the team now.”

That has been a process for newcomers like Tyson Barrie, Alex Kerfoot and Ilya Mikheyev, each of whom arrived with Toronto in the offseason to immediately take on prominent roles within the lineup. Barrie in particular has been underwhelming since the Leafs acquired him via trade with Colorado last July, shipping Nazem Kadri out west for the defenceman and Kerfoot.

Barrie had established himself as an offensive juggernaut over eight years with the Avalanche, producing 57 and 59 points respectively in his last two seasons. So far with the Leafs, Barrie has managed just five assists in 17 games, and hasn’t looked truly at home despite past familiarity with partner Jake Muzzin from the 2015 IIHF World Championships.

Some of Barrie’s struggles can be attributed to not playing on the Leafs’ top power play unit like he did for Colorado, averaging 2:27 minutes per game on the team’s second unit instead. But as he’s continued adjusting to a new role, Barrie’s felt empowered to bring some of that trash talk he was known for in Colorado into Toronto’s room, a positive sign that his game on the ice could become more confident too. 1160843 Websites

USA TODAY / Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby leaves game with lower-body injury

Mike Brehm

The banged-up Pittsburgh Penguins could be without their biggest star after captain Sidney Crosby left Saturday's victory against the Chicago Blackhawks early with a lower-body injury.

The Penguins' leading scorer left the game after playing one shift during the third period.

"He is being evaluated as we speak," coach Mike Sullivan said after the game. "We will get more information on Monday."

Crosby was involved in two plays, both involving Blackhawks defenseman Eric Gustafsson. He blocked a shot from Gustafsson, taking it off his ankle. He also appeared to catch his skate awkwardly earlier in the shift while trying to avoid a Gustafsson check, and the defenseman's leg made contact with his.

Crosby has 17 points in 17 games and had a team-high 100 points last season.

The Penguins, currently in third place in the Metropolitan, also are missing top defenseman Kris Letang (week-to-week with a lower-body injury) and No. 4 scorer Patric Hornqvist (lower body).

No. 2 center Evgeni Malkin returned a week ago after being injured in the first week of the season.

USA TODAY LOADED: 11.10.2019